Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination regarding the nature, cause, and etiology of the Veteran's back condition. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether his back condition is related to service or his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the service connection claims for low back disorder and sciatic nerve disorder, as they are inextricably intertwined. The case will be remanded for further medical opinions and development.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, including lumbago, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not attributable to his military service and arthritis of the lumbar spine was not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that there is not substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection. Another remand is required to verify his periods of duty status during his USAR service, particularly from 1968 to 1990. The VA must also obtain an addendum opinion on the date of onset and relationship to service for the Veteran's diagnosed bilateral shoulder conditions and neck condition.

Service connection for right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and obstructive sleep apnea degenerative joint disease is denied.,The Veteran's service records do not show any in-service events, injuries, or diseases that could have led to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his representative, and as a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims. The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding her sleep apnea with fatigue.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain was granted a 20 percent disability rating from December 19, 2013 to August 1, 2021.,Since August 2, 2021, the Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for her lumbar spine strain.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to September 13, 2019, or 20 percent thereafter. For TDIU, the Veteran met the schedular criteria for a single disability rated at least 60% due to his back and radiculopathy conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the Board's previous remand directives.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examination and outstanding treatment records. The Veteran is advised that she should attend a new VA examination or provide good cause if she declines.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and lumbar spine disability were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss, as it was only at Level III impairment. For his lumbar spine disability, he did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings on his low back, neck, and right lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations that comply with Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lower back disability, including spondylolisthesis, L5-S1 secondary to spondylolysis and right lumbar radiculopathy, is related to his service. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for back, left knee, right knee, and left ankle disorders as the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right hip and lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of a medical opinion addressing the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran served in the Marine Corps, where he experienced physical training that included long hikes and obstacle courses.