Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has withdrawn the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for a right long finger disability and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's pericallosal midline lipoma of the brain is granted with consideration of aggravation during service. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the back disability, diplopia, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right foot disability, left foot disability, and low back disability due to incomplete records and need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability due to conflicting medical opinions. The Veteran's GERD claim is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of GERD.

Service connection for a left knee condition is granted.,Service connection for a lumbar spine condition, as secondary to the left knee condition, is granted.,Service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as secondary to the lumbar spine condition, is granted.,A rating of 30 percent disabling, but no greater, for a left shoulder disability beginning January 10, 2020 is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and/or depression due to lack of a VA examination. The claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder and right shoulder disorder remain in their final status as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a lower back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of chronic disorders during or after service.

The Board has remanded the cases for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and issuing a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). The issues include ratings for various disabilities related to TBI, cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, right shoulder, right knee, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left thumb sprain, right thumb disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, eye disability, ulnar nerve paresthesias, ankle and wrist disabilities, nausea, constipation, and other conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for clarification on whether the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective June 28, 2011. The Board has determined that a rating in excess of 40 percent for the low back disability from February 10, 2014 is warranted due to limitations on range of motion and functional loss.

The Board denied service connection for a stomach disorder, including hiatal hernia, ulcers, and GERD. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for a back disability, upper and lower, affecting the cervical and lumbar segments of the spine with associated radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's current disabilities are less likely than not caused by his service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation for his lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis and spondylolisthesis of L5 on S1 was granted with an initial 20 percent rating prior to June 29, 2021. From that date onwards, the Veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical DDD due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and diverticulitis, as secondary to IBS. The issues are being reviewed due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine, headaches (as secondary to a cervical spine condition), lumbar spine, and right ankle conditions have been granted service connection. The left ankle condition has not met the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the reduction in disability rating from 20% to 10% for lumbar disc disease with strain was not proper, and the issues of effective dates for knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and low back condition secondary to PTSD due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's medical records show multiple borderline high blood pressure readings, which need to be considered in determining whether they constitute manifestations of a hypertension disability. Additionally, new opinions are needed regarding causation and aggravation of these conditions by PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for low back pain due to an addendum VA opinion that adequately addresses the Veteran's lay statements regarding continuity of low back pain in and out of service.

Prior to March 9, 2021, the Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.,From March 9, 2021, the Veteran's TDIU was granted due to his depression with anxious distress and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.