Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability and liver disability (including cirrhosis and Hepatitis C) due to inadequate development in previous examinations. The claims are now pending for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the Board found no new or material evidence to reopen these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied for all other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance of another person throughout the period on appeal, warranting SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar strain was granted effective February 17, 2005. The Board found that the earlier date of entitlement is February 17, 2005.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left foot disorder, and right foot disorder due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records from the Mississippi Department of Human Service regarding disability benefits. The appeals for service connection for bilateral knee and back disabilities are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating. The cervical spine and lumbar spine disability claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about completeness of service treatment records, particularly a missing separation examination report from 1988.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for further development and evaluation. The issues include gastroesophageal reflux disease, syncope, diabetes mellitus type II, left upper extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, sleep apnea, lumbar disability, and a right foot disability (other than pes planus).

The Board has remanded the claims due to a Francway challenge against the June 2022 VA examiner's competency. The Regional Office must obtain and provide the requested information about the examiner's qualifications.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities for treatment purposes only under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 based on the Veteran's credible account of in-service events and current diagnoses.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from January 5, 2007, to February 28, 2007, is dismissed as moot due to the assignment of a combined 100 percent evaluation and SMC at the rate under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new VA mental health examination to evaluate the current severity of the Veteran's PTSD. The TDIU claim is granted beginning June 20, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and right shoulder disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an eye disability, left elbow disability, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to a failure to properly notify the Veteran in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(2).

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70 percent rating, effective June 27, 2019.,Since September 20, 2019, the Veteran's chronic lumbar strain disability has been rated at 20 percent, with an effective date of September 20, 2019.

The Board granted initial ratings of 10% for right and left ankle disabilities, and a 20% rating for low back disability during the entire period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and missing records. The back disability claim is remanded, as are the foot condition and radiculopathy claims which are inextricably intertwined with the back disability claim.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder incurred during active duty, but denied claims for sleep apnea and foot disorders. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the foot disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied as there was no diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to non-diagnosed symptoms and lack of evidence supporting a higher disability level.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30% rating for GERD with nutcracker esophagus is dismissed as moot, but the issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction and lumbar spine disability remains remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction (secondary to his service-connected conditions) and lumbar spine disability remain pending and are being remanded for further evaluation.