Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for increased ratings was denied as the evidence did not show that the Veteran met the criteria for a compensable evaluation prior to January 31, 2018, in excess of 10 percent prior to July 5, 2022, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current skin disorder or headaches at any time during the pendency of the claim.

The Veteran's claim to establish service connection for a lower back disability has been reopened, and the case is remanded for further development including an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, as the previous opinions were based on a lack of evidence in the service treatment records and did not adequately consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms during service.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis and allergic rhinitis have been granted service connection. The scar associated with umbilical hernia has received a 10% rating, while the nerve damage, neck disorder, and left ankle condition are still pending.

The Board has vacated its January 2022 decision, which denied increased ratings for the Veteran's low back disability and right lower extremity nerves. The issues of increased ratings for sciatic radiculopathy and femoral radiculopathy are remanded. A compensable rating for a surgical scar on the back is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed back disability, as well as determine if it is related to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings and compensation were denied across multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, and back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headache disability, back disability, and scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, and spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine have been granted with an effective date of June 1, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 29, 2012.

The claim for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been reopened and granted. The rating for Lumbar Spondylolisthesis of L5-S1 prior to May 1, 2017 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, left ankle disability, lumbar spine disability, and headache disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.,There is no credible evidence showing that the Veteran has any current heart disability or left ankle disability since his active duty service.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including service connection claims and evaluations for various disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left side rib disability was granted, but the claims for right knee and lumbar spine disabilities were denied.,The Board has remanded the issues regarding the right shoulder and low back pain disabilities due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the claims for low back disability and right wrist disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hypertension and lumbosacral strain due to the need for new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various hip, knee, leg, spine, ankle, and foot disabilities due to inadequate opinions regarding their relationship to periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inadequate examination reports and potential worsening of symptoms. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his service-connected neck disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's lumbar disability is granted a rating of 40 percent, but no higher, from August 2, 2012.,Separate ratings of 10 percent for LLE radiculopathy are granted from August 2, 2012, to September 24, 2015, and from August 2, 2012, to November 29, 2017.,Separate ratings of 10 percent for RLE radiculopathy are granted from August 2, 2012, to November 30, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability evaluation for service-connected left ankle scars has been denied as the scars do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DCs 7801 and 7802.,The effective date for the award of a 20 percent disability evaluation for service-connected lumbosacral strain is set at June 26, 2018, as it was more than one year after the Veteran filed his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for scoliosis of the lumbar spine and spinal stenosis (including sciatica).