Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has found the evidence insufficient to adjudicate the Veteran's claims at this time and has remanded for further development, including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected back, neck, right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot disabilities require additional examinations to comply with VA examination requirements. The cases are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and need for additional examinations. The Veteran's back disability is being evaluated again, including a new VA examination and retrospective opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to ambiguities in the VA examination reports and the need for additional information regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy was granted a 30 percent disability rating from March 4, 2010 to June 30, 2019.,From July 1, 2019 to December 10, 2021, the Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy was denied a higher than 30 percent disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for seizure disorder and low back disability due to scheduling issues, requiring further medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected back condition and kidney malfunction prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment beginning January 11, 2012. A TDIU rating (on an extraschedular basis) is granted for this period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cardiac disorder, idiopathic chronic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and lumbar spine disability due to lack of in-service incurrence or link to service. The Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Korea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee strain, as well as her claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU due to her combined disability rating of 40 percent.

The Board denied SMC based on the need for aid and attendance, finding that her functional impairments were not solely caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including those related to service connection for various conditions. The case is therefore being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for depression, memory loss, lumbar spine disability, plantar fasciitis, and GERD due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The VA must obtain any relevant medical records and conduct examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 22, 2017. The Board denied the TDIU claims as there was no single service-connected disability (excluding multiple myeloma rated 100%) rendering the Veteran unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 22, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and bilateral lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy due to outstanding treatment records and conflicting evidence regarding the presence of radiculopathy and intervertebral disc syndrome throughout the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current back disability is related to service or caused by his service-connected lumbar strain. The VA must obtain additional treatment records and provide an opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's back disability is granted as service connected, with a finding of continuity of symptomatology since separation from service.,Secondary service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities (sciatic nerve) is also granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back and neck disabilities, but has remanded these issues due to a lack of medical evidence on the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's lumbar spine injury with intervertebral disc syndrome is rated at 20 percent prior to December 16, 2021 and 40 percent thereafter. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his range of motion does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.