Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to inadequate opinions and need for a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine disorder is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's current migraine disorder manifested from an injury during a period of ACDUTRA or INADUCTRA while in the Army Reserves from September 1981 to April 2000. Service connection is also granted for low back disability and left hip disability (trochanteric bursitis).

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, bilateral ankle disability, left foot disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's statements regarding his injuries during service.

The Veteran's back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were rated as 10 percent disabling from September 1, 2013, to June 27, 2018. The rating was increased to 40 percent thereafter for the back disability and to 40 percent for each of the bilateral lower extremities.,The Veteran's back disability is rated under Diagnostic Code 5242-5243, which evaluates diseases and injuries of the spine. The current ratings are based on the range of motion measurements from October 2013 VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service and concluding that any such disability was more likely due to post-service work-related injuries.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's disabilities, including vasculopathy and subsequent conditions such as degenerative joint disease, left great toe amputation, hypertension, stroke, pain on the left side of his body, right leg condition, and left leg condition, are not deemed to be proximately due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. Therefore, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the issues are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and lower back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the onset of his conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for further medical development due to inconsistencies in prior VA examinations and the need for consistent findings with established guidelines.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as there is no evidence of a current disability that was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and inadequate examination. The Veteran's claim is being reopened, but further medical opinions are needed regarding the onset of his disabilities and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and examinations.

Service connection is granted for a headache disability, back disability (DJD, DDD, osteoarthritis/osteoarthrosis, and IVDS), and bilateral foot disability.,The Veteran's headaches began during service in Vietnam. The Board found the evidence at least in relative equipoise that the current diagnosis of chronic headaches had its onset during service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of his back disability, left leg disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), head injury, and tailbone disability. The cases are remanded for further development including VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to insufficient information about the specific periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). Clarification is needed before further action can be taken.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA examination reports and a need for further medical evaluation to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed back disabilities, including whether they are related to service or other events, injuries, or diseases in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for back disability, depression (secondary to a service-connected condition), right hip disability (secondary to a service-connected condition), and neck disability (secondary to a service-connected condition). The Board found that there was no evidence of any current disabilities related to service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his thoracolumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies was denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a higher rating.