Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability has been rated at 40 percent since February 26, 2019. The Board denied a higher rating for the period prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to a procedural error in adjudicating the issue of service connection for a back disability. The Veteran's claim is now pending again with the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing their etiology.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a low back condition and a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction due to outstanding private treatment records not being obtained.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine condition and bilateral radiculopathy, which are believed to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities, including addressing functional impairment during flare-ups and providing an estimate of the approximate date of onset of his knee instability.

The Board has remanded the claims for neck, bilateral shoulder, and back disabilities due to inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran's sleep apnea claim remains denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as the Board finds that there may be pathology beyond what is contemplated by the schedular criteria and which may interfere with his employment opportunities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and MDD with additional conditions like atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic lumbosacral strain, left elbow epicondylitis, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left shoulder tendonitis, bilateral tinnitus, and hypertension, have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to February 19, 2015. The Veteran is now eligible for a TDIU based on his MDD with PTSD alone, which meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals as he withdrew all his pending appeals through his authorized representative.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including MDD, SSD, and agoraphobia with panic attacks, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches. Service connection was denied for psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, cervical spine condition, low back condition, and sleep disorder.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including an examination to determine the nature of the Veteran's current low back condition and its relationship to service. Service connection for psychiatric disabilities (to include PTSD) is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 10 percent prior to December 6, 2019, and at 20 percent thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back, neck, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of VA examination. The Veteran's lay testimony and personnel records suggest possible service connection.

The Veteran is granted a rating of 40 percent for his low back disability starting from October 23, 2020.,Separate ratings of 10 percent are granted for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy effective July 19, 2016 and October 23, 2020 respectively.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar strain, sciatic nerve paralysis (left lower extremity radiculopathy), left knee chondromalacia, and right knee chondromalacia are being remanded due to procedural issues with the medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of his chest pain, bilateral foot disability, back disability, and bilateral leg condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for an opinion regarding whether the appellant's preexisting back disability was aggravated by his military service.

The TDIU claim is being remanded because it is intertwined with two other claims that are still pending before the RO. The appeal period for these issues has not expired, and a decision should be deferred until the claims regarding psychiatric disability and radiculopathy have been finally decided.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions from the January 2020 VA examiner. The effective date of service connection is denied as there was no prior claim for right foot tendonitis.