Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's hearing loss and malaria claims are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's back disability, hand disability, hip disability, knee disability, numbness, tingling and weakness throughout body, and sinus disability claims are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,,,,,,

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability due to MST, but remanded the issues of service connection for a headache disability and a back condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and lumbar spine disability are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The claim for asthma is not readmitted as new relevant evidence has not been presented or secured.

The Board has granted service connection for TBI, migraine headaches, cervical spine IVDS and DDD, thoracolumbar spine strain, and TMJ disorder. The Veteran's conditions are deemed to have been incurred in the line of duty during his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher, throughout the entire appeal period.,PTSD symptoms include recurring nightmares, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, intrusive thoughts/flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance of stimuli related to past experiences, and impaired social functioning.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, back disability, neck disability, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to new evidence submitted. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has found that there is not substantial compliance with the remand instructions and thus requires another remand to address whether the Veteran's current low back disability was incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for major depression and a back disability, as well as his TDIU claim, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,Specifically, the Board is requesting updated VA treatment records from the Vet Center during the period on appeal. They also want a new examination of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining VA examinations and opinions to determine if the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, bilateral shoulder disability, hypertension (secondary to service-connected schizophrenia), heart disability, and residuals of a head injury due to incomplete examinations and lack of medical opinions. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations and obtain VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations were denied. The Veteran was previously granted a 20% evaluation for his thoracolumbar spine condition, but the claim is now at 40%. His right and left lower extremity radiculopathy conditions are also rated as 20%.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher, prior to December 20, 2019, for intervertebral disc syndrome (previously rated as lumbar strain) is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for IVDS from December 20, 2019 onwards is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart condition and dental condition. The Veteran's flat feet, spots in eyes, stomach condition (constipation), dizziness, and back condition are all remanded for further examination and determination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and low back disability are granted service connection. The appeal regarding right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and bilateral shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions. The Veteran's statements regarding symptom onset will be considered.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder and GERD. The Veteran's low back disorder is not shown as chronic in service, arthritis did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology is not established. Service connection was also denied for bilateral knee condition and polyarthritis.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral knee condition and polyarthritis due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether joint pain qualifies as an undiagnosed illness under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities are remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is being remanded due to insufficient reasoning in the VA examination and lack of supporting rationale from the private opinion. The Board requests a supplemental VA medical opinion to address direct service connection, as well as secondary service connection by aggravation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding functional loss caused by pain and flare-ups during the period from May 19, 2011 to April 26, 2017 for a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for his 40% rating.