Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and nerve damage of the tongue due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. A new opinion is needed from an examiner who did not previously provide an opinion regarding these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development due to the need for medical opinions regarding potential radiation exposure and its impact on various disabilities. The claims will be reconsidered based on this new information.

The Veteran's facial skin condition is rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran was previously granted TDIU based on multiple service-connected disabilities prior to May 15, 2015, but the claim for TDIU after that date is also denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease due to conflicting opinions from VA examiners and a need for further clarification on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, left hip, and right hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including left foot pain, back disability, hearing loss, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and neurobehavioral effects related to chemical exposure. The claims for insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, migraines, right knee condition, left knee condition, PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder, and alcohol abuse are remanded due to the need for further examination and evidence collection.

The Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disabilities have been granted. The claim to reopen service connection for a left arm disability is remanded.,Service connection has been established for hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TB residuals was denied. The Board found no evidence of active TB or TB related symptomatology during the pendency of the appeal. For TDIU, the Veteran met the criteria under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(a) as he had two or more disabilities with at least one rated at 40 percent or more and sufficient additional disability to bring the combined rating to at least 70 percent. The Veteran is already in receipt of SMC benefits, thus TDIU was not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to PTSD.

Your service connection for a back disability has been granted, but the case is dismissed because your claim was fully addressed in a previous decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and remanded the claim for service connection for ruptured sinuses. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to assess his claimed back condition.

The Veteran's cervical degenerative disc disease and associated left upper extremity radiculopathy have been rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.,The Veteran's service-connected left upper extremity radiculopathy has also been rated at its maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeals regarding his hip and back conditions, as well as the increased rating for his left ankle disability, have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of these issues.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the absence of a current disability. The claims for tinnitus, low back condition, right knee condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations to assess his cervical spine disability and associated radiculopathies.

The Veteran's GERD and back disability are granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's headaches and joint pain, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, remain in appellate status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for his lumbar spine disability, finding that the earliest possible effective date is September 16, 2014. The current ratings are appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination that adequately addresses the ameliorative effects of medication on his disability.