Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing problems began many years after his military service and were not related to noise exposure during service.,The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, concluding that it is as likely as not that the Veteran's back disability originated during his military service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine/neck disorder, lumbar spine/back disorder, right knee disorder, right ankle disorder, right thumb disorder, and bilateral hearing loss as the appellant did not have a disability during ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA that was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various hip, knee, shoulder, and spine conditions are being remanded due to the failure of VA to schedule examinations as instructed in a previous Board decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasoning in a previous decision regarding service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran argues that his condition was aggravated by active service, but the examiner did not provide adequate rationale.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability, specifically for direct and secondary service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic back, right knee, and right wrist disorders on a presumptive basis as they manifested to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The claim for an initial compensable rating from December 12, 2014, through August 31, 2016 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his lumbar spine disability, finding that the reduction from 40 percent to 10 percent effective September 1, 2013 was proper and that he does not meet criteria for a rating higher than 40 percent prior to September 1, 2013 or a rating higher than 10 percent from that date.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for thoracolumbar spine, left knee, left hip, and cervical spine disabilities due to incomplete development and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and service connection has been denied. The right arm disability, including the gunshot wound residuals, is not rated higher than 10 percent due to limited range of motion. A separate rating for carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative facet and disc disease of the lumbar spine, as well as her claim for TDIU. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected lumbar spine disability and provide information regarding employment status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease and disc herniation, is not service-connected as it was not shown to be chronic in service or related to an injury during service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability due to conflicting evidence and need for further examination. The appeal is pending until further action.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board has remanded the remaining issues for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected lumbar spine condition is denied as the evidence does not support an increased rating beyond 20 percent. The Board found that the Veteran’s forward flexion was limited to at most 40 degrees with pain, which did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded all of the Veteran's service connection claims due to an error in not considering medical evidence submitted by the Veteran during his appeal. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, low back disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, and esophageal fungal infection are now pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examination opinions and lack of consideration of certain evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased initial ratings and separate compensable ratings were denied as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings based on service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, from April 5, 2010.