Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new medical opinion, due to additional VA treatment records being submitted after the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to January 14, 2021 due to insufficient evidence showing he was unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension. Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral foot blisters, and skin rash due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has denied service connection for a stomach condition, fatigue related to Camp LeJeune exposure, and low back disability. The evidence does not support the Veteran's claims of in-service onset or relationship.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous remand instructions. The claim will be further evaluated by a VA medical professional.

The Veteran's cause of death was not due to service-connected disabilities, and the VA-prescribed medications did not result in an additional disability or death. The Board found that the medications prescribed for his service-connected conditions were not causally related to his death.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at a 20 percent rating from March 23, 2015 to May 20, 2019 and from November 12, 2019 to May 24, 2021. A higher rating is not warranted for any period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to potential eligibility for SMC under certain criteria. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are being evaluated in detail.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's lower back disorder was aggravated by service-connected neuropathy.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his low back disability is denied. The claims of service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy and for an increased rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease, claimed as back condition and sacroilitis, finding that the Veteran's current back disorder did not originate in service or within a year of discharge from service. The Board concluded there was no nexus between the Veteran's active duty service and his current back disorder due to the lack of a longitudinal trend of subjective complaints and objective findings.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and ratings for various disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran requested to withdraw his appeals.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that it is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service and arthritis did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right knee disability, and low back condition due to inadequate medical opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent prior to August 18, 2015 and his left knee chondromalacia is rated at 30 percent from August 8, 2016. Both issues are being remanded for further development.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was found to have functional impairment equivalent to favorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine prior to August 18, 2015 and his left knee chondromalacia is rated at 40 percent from August 8, 2016 due to severe instability.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and headache disorder. The case will be remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating beyond 20 percent prior to June 21, 2021 and 40 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his low back disability prior to June 27, 2019 and from June 27, 2019 onward due to the need for additional development.

The appeal to reopen the claim for service connection for heat stroke is granted. The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds remand necessary due to new evidence of ongoing symptoms and requests a new VA examination.