Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is found to be etiologically related to his left leg radiculopathy, and the claim for this connection is granted. The rating for his lumbar spine disability remains remanded due to lack of recent examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability with lower extremity radiculopathy and tinnitus, finding that the conditions are related to in-service injuries and exposure to hazardous noise, respectively.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete opinions regarding service connection for various disabilities, including a low back disability, right upper extremity neuropathy, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability, finding that the Veteran's condition did not manifest during active duty and was not related to any in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to outstanding SSA records and additional VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the reduction in the rating of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine strain with spondylosis and a compression fracture at T12 from 20 percent to 10 percent effective September 1, 2015 was improper. The restoration is granted. However, the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a thoracolumbar spine strain with spondylosis and a compression fracture at T12 remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to unresolved issues regarding his shoulder, hip, back, and neck disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy are not related to service, and therefore, denied both claims.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is being remanded due to inadequate examination opinions. The examiner must provide a detailed rationale for all opinions, including citations to the relevant medical literature and service treatment records.,The neurological disabilities of the upper extremities are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and associated radiculopathies due to new evidence received after the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee condition.,Service connection for ED is denied. The Board found no evidence of a direct relationship between the condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the right ring finger conditions are not rated higher.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability is denied as the evidence does not show unfavorable ankylosis or functional equivalent of ankylosis.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and his hepatitis C is rated at 20 percent. The appeal for higher ratings remains denied.

The Board has found that the VA examination conducted in December 2019 did not comply with the remand directives and is therefore remanded for another examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected thoracic degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the onset and continuity of the Veteran's back disability, as well as the relationship between his service-connected back disability and his claimed neuropathies.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his knee disabilities, including TKA, have been denied. The Board found that the lumbar spine disability was not caused by or related to any in-service injury or disease, nor were the left and right knee disabilities linked to it. The VA examinations did not find a nexus between the Veteran's current back pain and service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran was granted service connection for left knee, low back, and right hip disabilities. The effective date is not earlier than June 24, 2014.,Service connection was established for the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral hips due to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for low back strain and TDIU due to conflicting VA examination reports regarding the severity of the Veteran's disability, including during flare-ups and with repeated use over time. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for thoracolumbar sprain, allergic rhinitis, and TDIU. The Board dismissed these claims as a result.