Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting disability picture of the Veteran's lumbar condition and a need for further development to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbar strain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, mild neurocognitive disorder, sleep apnea with asthma, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, neck injury, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, rendered him unemployable for the period from September 8, 2018 to November 25, 2019. The Board granted a TDIU based on this evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle, knee, and low back conditions due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a lumbar spine disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting a compensable rating for hearing loss or establishing service connection for the lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for gingivitis for compensation purposes is denied. His claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and multiple physical conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As such, the Board has granted his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine conditions. The VA examiner did not consider the Veteran's lay contentions about a head injury during service and its impact on his current condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he is capable of sedentary work.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to conflicting findings regarding the results of the 1971 VA surgical procedures and a need for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for DDD of the lumbar spine with IVDS prior to November 2, 2020 is granted at 20 percent. The claim for maxillary sinusitis since November 2, 2020 is granted at 50 percent. The claim for traumatic deviated septum remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral pes planus, low back disability, hypertension secondary to PTSD, GERD secondary to PTSD and duodenal ulcer, and obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD and duodenal ulcer due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, right knee, left knee, sleep disorder (including insomnia), bilateral foot, bilateral eye, right shoulder, left shoulder, low back, and upper back disorders due to inadequate examination opinions. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for upper and lower bilateral peripheral neuropathy due to a lack of a VA examination. The claim for individual unemployability is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinion is inadequate and remands the case for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address the Veteran's claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, but has remanded his claims for left and right shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his initial rating for osteoporosis lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to obtain all requested records, including National Guard treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for low back strain with degenerative joint disease was denied, and his claim for TDIU was granted.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, to include degenerative disc disease (DDD), is granted. Entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, to include DDD, is also granted.,Entitlement to service connection for sinusitis, to include as secondary to low back condition, is remanded.