Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a lumbar spine disability, neck disability, and foot disability. The VA is directed to obtain medical opinions regarding these claims.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for back disability, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were reopened due to the submission of new evidence.,Service connection is granted for back disability manifested by pain.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracolumbar-spine disorder, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected right-knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and earlier effective date for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's claims are still pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a lumbar spine disorder, as he provided credible reports of continued pain since an injury in service. The VA examiner needs to address what these reports mean in terms of causing his current low back disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the cases of left hip arthritis and PTSD for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional steps, including obtaining missing service personnel records and VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, and lumbar spine disability are being reviewed again.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, including the service connection claim for right elbow disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine stenosis with degenerative joint disease is granted a 40 percent rating, effective from the date of his initial claim. SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance is also granted.

The Veteran's initial 10 percent rating for service-connected lumbar spine strain is granted prior to October 20, 2022. The claim for higher ratings and service connection are all denied.

The appeal of the recoupment of separation pay benefits from VA disability compensation is denied. The dental condition for treatment purposes issue is remanded.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with degenerative changes and thoracolumbar spine strain, sacral strain with degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 20% and 40%, respectively. The appeal for increased ratings is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence in previous examinations, requiring a retrospective opinion on the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to October 2020.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The VA examiner acknowledged service treatment for a back condition but did not consider the Veteran's lay statements of continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no final decision could be made on the merits of the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants his claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The appeal for service connection of a low back disability is dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, neurological disabilities of upper and lower extremities due to incomplete development and lack of medical nexus opinions addressing potential service connection.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for low back pain is granted. Service connection for bleeding in ears, as secondary to PTSD, remains denied.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, neurological disorders of the bilateral upper and lower extremities (peripheral neuropathy), finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or in-service exposure. The Board also found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are not related to Agent Orange exposure.