Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability and left knee disability due to a lack of medical nexus opinions, requiring further development including VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and clarification regarding his service connection claims, particularly focusing on whether his current sleep apnea, low back pain, pelvic pain, numbness in feet, and numbness in hands are related to his service-connected Dercum's disease.

The Veteran's appeal includes issues related to the reduction of his rating for degenerative arthritis of lumbar spine with posterolisthesis and claims for increased ratings. The Board has determined that these matters are inextricably intertwined and have been remanded.

The Veteran's right foot and low back disabilities are remanded for further evaluation due to the need for a VA examination to determine if they are related to her service-connected bilateral hip and shin splint disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and bilateral sciatica, finding that the Veteran did not have current disabilities or evidence of continuity of symptoms since service.,The Board also found no secondary service connection for bilateral sciatica as it was not linked to his primary low back disability.

The reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability was improper, and the 20 percent rating is restored. The issues of entitlement to higher ratings for other conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD associated with the reported in-service stressor, and resolves reasonable doubt in her favor.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's increased rating claim for his service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, degenerative disc disease, and disc protrusion due to outstanding medical evidence. The TDIU issue is also being returned to the AOJ as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted.,A disability rating of 20 percent is assigned for the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, effective prior to April 17, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and right hip disability, but granted service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy.,Right lower extremity radiculopathy is considered secondary to the Veteran's pre-existing back condition.

The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is granted. The issue of whether the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his active service or his service-connected left ankle disability is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including lumbar arthritis, left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee strain, and left big toe hallux limitus, have significantly interfered with his employment. The Board finds that referral to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration is warranted prior to October 11, 2016.

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

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his left wrist and left wrist scar disabilities have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable disability rating for residuals of a left wrist surgical scar, hypertension, lumbar spine disability, and left knee disability have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board found that the current evidence does not support granting these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, and the Board has remanded for further development.,Service connection for right shoulder arthritis was granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of low back disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to incidents in service. The Board noted that the episodes of back pain during service were acute and self-limited, and did not result in a chronic condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate examinations used in previous decisions. The cases are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain and left hamstring strain, as well as his claim for TDIU, were denied by the Board. The decision found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.