Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and lung disability due to the Veteran's inability to attend VA examinations. The cases are now pending for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, adjustment disorder, tension headaches, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar myositis, herniated nucleus pulposus of L3-L4, and bulging annulus L1-L2.,The decision also remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted initial ratings of 40 percent and 20 percent, respectively, effective April 17, 2014.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new and pertinent VA treatment records and VA examinations being added to the claims file. The AOJ is instructed to review these additional documents in the first instance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, including knee disabilities, are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU, but his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine arthritis and right knee disorder, and has awarded a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right ankle degenerative arthritis. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board has denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for left shoulder strain with degenerative joint disease, neck disorder, and lower back disorder. The Veteran's claims were received on June 18, 2015, and January 28, 2016, respectively.,The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), erectile dysfunction, and cognitive impairment secondary to posttraumatic headaches and PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left lumbar radiculopathy (claimed as sciatica) is granted. A rating of 20 percent is granted for the lumbar spine disability, effective August 18, 2020. The Veteran also receives a grant of a 100 percent rating for Meniere's disease.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including those related to the lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left hip disabilities, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, sciatic and femoral radiculopathy in both lower extremities, and TDIU/SMC claims are all remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate musculoskeletal examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include sinusitis, eye disability, acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), left shoulder disability, low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and left foot disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, high blood pressure, and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine (previously rated as thoracic scoliosis) was denied. The Veteran received a 10 percent rating for his high blood pressure effective October 24, 2014.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and remanded the claim for service connection for vertigo. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for depressive disorder and lumbar spine disability have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 70% for her depressive disorder, effective December 18, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities (including as secondary to service-connected hypertension), residuals of strokes (secondary to service-connected hypertension), bilateral glaucoma (secondary to service-connected hypertension), and low back disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee disability).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is granted, as the evidence shows his current condition is related to an in-service injury. The Board found that the March 2022 private medical opinion provided by Dr. DM was more probative than the February 2018 VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disorder, finding that his current diagnosis of osteoarthritis is related to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted, with a rating of 100% effective as of July 27, 2023.