Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, thoracic spine disability, right lower extremity peripheral nerve disability, and left lower extremity peripheral nerve disability. The decision also noted that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was not related to his in-service back injury.,Service connection was denied as there is no credible evidence linking the current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and meniscal tear of the right knee are remanded due to outstanding medical records and inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's back disability, right lumbar radiculopathy, and left lumbar radiculopathy are all rated at the maximum allowable under current VA regulations. The Board denied further increases in these ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his major depressive disorder and knee conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 20, 2012. The Board granted the TDIU claim effective from that date.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder, which was diagnosed as DDD with mild L3-L4 retrolisthesis, L4-L5 disc bulge, and sacroiliitis. The examiner is requested to provide a new opinion on whether the Veteran's back disorder is related to service or onset within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability has prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since November 14, 2007. The appeal for TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to February 17, 2010, is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder due to insufficient evidence in the previous VA examination. The Veteran's current low back disability is being reviewed again to determine if it is related to his military service.

The claims for service connection for hypertension, right flat foot, left flat foot, lower back disorder, and bilateral knee disorders have been reopened. The claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has also been reopened.,However, the claims for service connection for headaches, pseudofolliculitis barbae (also claimed as dermatology), residuals of chicken pox, and pneumonia remain denied.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found continuity of symptomatology is not established and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional examinations and development, including obtaining information about the Veteran's employment history and education level.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for additional development due to deficiencies in a December 2020 VA spine examination, including inadequate range-of-motion testing and failure to address functional ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine. The issues related to radiculopathy of the bilateral sciatic and femoral nerves are also remanded as there is inconsistency regarding when these symptoms first manifested.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate examinations in previous decisions. The Veteran is required to undergo additional evaluations, including a back examination and a separate examination for his radiculopathy of the lower extremities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder and somatic disorder, is granted as service-connected. The low back disability and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are remanded for further development.

The appeals seeking to reopen service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea on the basis of new and material evidence have been dismissed.,New and material evidence has been received, allowing the application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder. The issue is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability but has remanded the claim for a neck disability, as it is unclear whether the current neck condition pre-existed service or was aggravated by the service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need for an examination and updated treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and bilateral hernias have been dismissed. The previously denied claims of service connection for DJD of the thoracic/lumbar spine, bilateral knees, prostatitis, and GERD have been reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for DJD of the thoracic/lumbar spine, cervical spine, left knee, and right knee.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depression), osteoarthritis of the right ankle, osteoarthritis of the left ankle, and lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease are remanded. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with lumbar spine mild compression fracture, finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and unspecified depressive disorder are dismissed as moot due to the Board granting these issues in a June 2023 decision under the AMA appeal system.