Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was reopened and granted.,Service connection for the right knee and left knee disabilities were also granted as secondary to his service-connected left hip disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for postherpetic neuralgia of the 9th cranial nerve involving the right ear was granted with a 10 percent evaluation effective August 13, 2020. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a new VA examination to assess his service-connected low back disability. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for the low back disability and entitlement to TDIU are also being remanded as they are intertwined with the rating issue.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased disability ratings for left and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, as well as his claim for service connection for a right hip disorder due to the Veteran opting into the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) review system.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar spine disability was denied, and the TDIU claim is moot as he has already received a combined total of 100 percent disability ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for aggravation of the low back arthritis by the service-connected left hip disability. The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and his residuals of a gunshot wound of the left hip are rated at 40 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for development due to a lack of recent VA treatment records and an incomplete examination report. The Veteran's service-connected back disability is being evaluated, and his TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with this issue.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for his lumbar spine and sciatic nerve disabilities were denied. The VA found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection due to exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, or Gulf War Syndrome.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims of service connection for various lower extremity disorders due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his lumbar spine disorder is granted, with the effective date being January 24, 2020. The claim for TDIU benefits prior to January 24, 2020, is also granted.

The Board has remanded two issues related to the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities for further development, including obtaining updated VA examinations that address specific functional loss during flare-ups or after repetitive use.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, is granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical degenerative disc disease.,Service connection for right lower and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy (previously characterized as muscle pain) is also granted.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased evaluation and service connection. The Board cannot proceed with these issues as the Veteran has requested to withdraw them.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and low back disabilities due to insufficient examination reports.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues. The claims will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for vertigo was denied. The claim for service connection for persistent depression with anxiety is granted, and the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability is reopened.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and migraine headaches are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of various hip and knee disabilities, as secondary to service-connected pes planus. The Veteran's testimony indicates that his current disabilities are related to his military service and exacerbated by his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lower back condition and ED due to inconsistencies in the medical opinions provided. The Veteran's representative also requested an opinion on whether the ED is secondary to his service-connected knee and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent prior to April 21, 2021 and denied for a rating in excess of 20 percent from that date.