Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to their death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as they are now deceased.

The Veteran's appeal for hypertension was dismissed. The eye disorder claim was denied, but the heart disorder claim was granted and reopened based on new evidence. The thoracolumbar spine disability and associated neurological abnormalities were also granted and reopened. The left ear hearing loss claim was denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date has been withdrawn.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen the service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea, but further review is needed before a decision can be made.,The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension remains pending and requires additional development.,The Veteran's service connection claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains pending and requires additional development.,The Veteran's service connection claim for a neck disability remains pending and requires additional development.,The Veteran's service connection claim for traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains pending and requires additional development.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied due to the lack of current diagnosis and no evidence linking his symptoms to active duty. The claim for TDIU was also denied as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent prior to August 10, 2020 and at 40 percent thereafter. Separate ratings of 20 percent are granted for weakness of both lower extremities due to arthritis of the lumbar spine from May 5, 2023.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and major depressive disorder with anxious distress have been granted. The initial rating for the major depressive disorder has been increased to 50 percent.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has not resulted in unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or the functional equivalent, and thus a rating in excess of 40 percent is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's increased rating claims for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities need to be remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected left femur, left knee, left ankle, left leg shortening, and back disabilities. The VA examiner should provide a full description of the Veteran's disabilities and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran's disabilities, including under the rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for gastritis, mental condition (presumably PTSD or similar), migraine headaches, nausea associated with gastritis, and low back disability have been dismissed. The claim for right shoulder disability based on arm limitation of motion prior to July 18, 2016, has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection, except for a grant of entitlement to a separate compensable evaluation for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar strain, respiratory condition, menstrual symptoms, and sleep disorder (OSA) due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for low back, right ankle, right shoulder, and knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate nexus opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases of cervical DDD and degenerative arthritis, as well as OSA, for further development to determine their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential Agent Orange exposure, and a TERA-specific examination is required. The examiner must consider total potential exposure through all applicable military deployments and the synergistic, combined effect of all toxic risk activities.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with remand directives, specifically regarding obtaining a retrospective medical opinion for the period from March 7, 2011 to April 17, 2017.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted as service-connected. The right shoulder, right foot, and left foot disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteochondral lesions of the left and right knees, as well as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The claims are being returned to VA for additional development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including chronic gout, hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), diabetes mellitus, migraine headaches, a sleep disorder with insomnia, tinnitus, and a back disability. The reasons include the need to verify the appellant's claimed service, particularly whether he served in line of duty during any periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete treatment records. The claims for service connection, higher evaluations, and separate evaluations are being returned for further development.