Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records.

The Board has dismissed the appeal seeking an earlier effective date for service connection of the low back disability. The claims for increased rating and TDIU related to this condition are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment, and therefore a TDIU is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate previous examinations and a need for a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's low back disability, including pain on weight bearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that his current condition began during active service or was related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to September 20, 2016, and a rating in excess of 30 percent from September 20, 2016, to January 21, 2020, for coronary artery disease was denied. The claim for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to August 25, 2015, was also denied.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The hypertension claim is denied as there is no credible evidence that it was present in service or within one year after separation, nor does it have continuity of symptomatology since service. The lumbar spine disability claim is remanded due to an inadequate examination.

The Board found that the May 2002 rating decision incorrectly determined that the Veteran's back disability was not aggravated by service. The decision is now revised due to clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine was initially rated at 10 percent from July 21, 2003 to July 9, 2010. The rating was increased to 20 percent from July 9, 2010 to August 31, 2011 and then to 30 percent from September 1, 2011 to February 6, 2014.,Effective March 5, 2021, the Veteran was granted a 20 percent disability rating for DDD of the cervical spine with spinal fusion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disorder, right hip disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bronchitis due to additional development being required.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hand disorders.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and various cold injury residuals are denied. The claim for chronic obstructive airway disease is also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition, neck condition, and headache condition (including migraines) due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. The claims are currently under review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left wrist disability is rated at 10 percent, the left ulnar nerve impairment at 10 percent, and the low back condition is not considered service-connected.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for dementia, lumbar spine disability, and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions. The claims are not granted as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for degenerative disc disease (DDD) cervical spine remains at 10 percent, as her range of motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to new service personnel records showing multiple periods of active duty for training (ANACDUTRA). The claims will be reviewed with consideration of these additional periods.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease with lumbosacral strain does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, after considering all evidence of record, including VA and private medical opinions, the Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable by reason of his service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or relationship to service.