Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability due to conflicting opinions and need for further clarification. The Veteran contends his current low back pain began shortly after he underwent prostate cancer treatment, which is already service-connected.

The Board has determined that the VA's remand instructions were not followed and thus, the claims for service connection of right shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and back disability are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to proceed with your claims as they are no longer valid.

The Board has denied reopening of the claim for service connection for a back disability and granted a 30% rating for residuals of frostbite injury of the right foot. The claims for increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and residuals of frostbite injury of the left foot are remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded for further development. Other service connection claims related to the left shoulder, eye disorders, and joint swelling are also being remanded.

The case is being remanded due to the Veteran not receiving proper notice of scheduled VA examinations for his upper back disorder and right knee strain. He will be provided with a new opportunity to appoint a representative if he chooses, and all relevant VA treatment records since April 2020 will be obtained.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because his employment as an assistant manager at a car wash is considered substantially gainful, and he has not provided further clarification of his employment status.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical records and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's neck disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple disabilities have been remanded due to the lack of a Statement of the Case addressing these issues.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is now rated at 20 percent. Other issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding her lay statements and post-service medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck, right shoulder, left shoulder, low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The claims were previously remanded due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including those related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical records and a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right ankle, left knee, flat feet, thoracolumbar strain (back condition), and sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. Service connection was granted for psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD).,Service connection was not established for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they were not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lower back condition due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, thoracolumbar spine condition, and cervical spine condition due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between noise exposure in service and current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, right hip disability, and low back disability due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding their etiology. The VA will obtain medical opinions to address whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to other disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for chronic low back pain and thoracic spine disability, cervicothoracic spine pain, right knee pain and dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service onset of these conditions.