Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of service personnel records. The claim will be remanded to obtain these records and to schedule VA examinations to determine the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for initial increased ratings for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, left shoulder, right shoulder, and right thumb disabilities due to errors in citation of VA examinations conducted in July 2012.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral arm (forearm) and bilateral shoulder disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of the claims as they are no longer relevant.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability, finding that it began during active service and is related to in-service motor vehicle accidents. The decision also addressed whether the Veteran engaged in willful misconduct, concluding that he did not.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a lower back disorder due to additional development being necessary, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran is eligible for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities, and the appeal concerning a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's left hip strain rating was reduced from 20% to noncompensable effective August 11, 2015. The compensable disability rating for the left thigh limitation of flexion prior to April 2, 2022 is denied. A 20% disability rating for the lumbar spine condition prior to June 12, 2017 and from October 1, 2017 to April 27, 2022 is granted. The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy is rated separately at least mild incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve. A TDIU is granted. Increased ratings for the lumbar spine condition and left hip limitation of motion are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for back disability, pulmonary condition, and Parkinson's Disease due to missing records and incomplete information.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and cervical spine disability are all remanded for additional development to obtain VA and private treatment records and retrospective medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability and initial compensable rating for headache disorder due to non-compliance with previous remand directives regarding scheduling of VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected low back strain with intervertebral disc syndrome renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU due to this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies are still under review.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine disability has been dismissed as the appellant and their representative have withdrawn the appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of a left eyebrow scar, right ear hearing loss disability, and low back disability due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, shoulder, and headache disorders. The case is being remanded to obtain updated treatment records from non-VA providers, SSA disability benefit decisions, and VA contractor medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and migraine headaches (secondary to hypertension) as the evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed as he has withdrawn all his pending claims.