Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee condition and a lumbar spine condition, both of which are determined to have begun during the Veteran's active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable or unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating greater than 10 percent for his low back strain due to conflicting medical evidence and lack of adequate retrospective opinions.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20% prior to October 22, 2022 and 40% thereafter. The claims for increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's right and left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy have been rated at 10%. The claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, foot, shoulder, and back disabilities due to incomplete adjudication of his claims. The AOJ is required to provide a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) addressing these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are granted. The claims for low white blood count, left leg disorder, right leg disorder, residuals of ear surgery, and seizure disorder are withdrawn.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine, left hip, and right hip disorders are not service-connected. The issues of service connection for bilateral hip disorders secondary to a lumbar spine disorder have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including recurrent lumbar strain, sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, femoral radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and left knee strain, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment for one year prior to January 14, 2016. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.

The Board has remanded three issues: right knee disability, low back disability, and carcinoid tumor/well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor of the appendix. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives and the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient development and consideration of his medical history, including VA treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered with additional opinions from appropriate clinicians.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed back, right shoulder, and leg disorders are related to his military service. The VA needs to procure an addendum opinion from a medical professional.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the appellant's thoracolumbar disability. The claim will be further developed with an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. Effective dates for PTSD, right shoulder (major) degenerative arthritis and rotator cuff tendonitis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are denied as the claim was not filed within one year of separation from service. The Veteran's TDIU prior to September 1, 2020 is dismissed due to mootness.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right knee torn ACL, back disability, and headaches due to potential etiological links to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased evaluations due to inadequate examination reports, particularly concerning range of motion testing. The Veteran's lumbar strain is being reviewed again with a new opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, finding that it is related to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, including the reopening of multiple service connection claims. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is related to service or secondary to his service-connected kidney cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability and remanded the issues of increased evaluation for neuropathy of the ulnar nerve and service connection for a current disability of the right forearm. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating remains pending.