Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging a VA examination. The Veteran's back disability is currently service-connected.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed due to the Veteran requesting to withdraw his appeals.,The Veteran has service-connected disabilities including Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Asthma, Major Depressive Disorder with Borderline Personality Disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Knee, Degenerative Disc Disease with Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine, and Degenerative Disc Disease with Degenerative Joint Disease of the Cervical Spine.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service and no current diagnosis. The Board concluded that the Veteran did not have a current low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury and an increased rating for lumbosacral strain have been withdrawn. The TDIU claim has also been denied as the evidence is insufficient to establish that his service-connected disabilities alone are of such severity so as to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his authorized representative, and the Board is dismissing all issues on appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including scheduling an updated psychiatric examination for PTSD and assessing the Veteran's ability to care for daily needs due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and related radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to October 29, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient information from previous VA examinations regarding his lumbosacral, cervical, and left knee disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated treatment records and arrange for new orthopedic examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need to obtain additional medical evidence. The Veteran is also scheduled for VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service or other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings in all three issues, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings have been denied.,Specifically, the Board found that no earlier effective date could be granted due to a July 6, 2017 auto-generated 'intent to file' form which did not preserve an effective date of July 6, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including service connection for a right knee disability. The back and flat foot disabilities are denied as not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's cervical spine DDD and CAD were denied increased ratings.,Hypertension, hemorrhoids, and right foot fracture with gout were also denied increased ratings.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with its prior remand directives and thus the case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and left hip disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The claims are being returned for further examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted an initial 70 percent rating, effective July 30, 2015. The Veteran's degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with T-12 compression fracture are also granted a 40 percent rating, effective July 30, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence not having been submitted. The issues of service connection for lumbar spine condition, cervical spine condition, sleep apnea (due to asbestos exposure and as secondary to service-connected tinnitus and non-service-connected lumbar spine condition), and shoulder pain are all remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a migraine headache disorder was granted in July 2022, rendering the appeal moot.,The Veteran's residuals of a broken jaw disability with TMJ were granted an increased rating to 10 percent prior to May 23, 2022. Since then, his condition has worsened and he is seeking a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, but remanded the other issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of various disabilities, including fatigue, back, right shoulder, cold injury, thyroid, and kidney conditions. The Veteran's service connection claims are not granted as there is no persuasive medical evidence of current disability or causation.