Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient development and need for additional opinions regarding service connection for a low back disability and liver disease.

The Board dismissed the appeal for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for depression and anxiety disorders, PTSD with depression and anxiety, low back disorder, neck/cervical spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction. The decision on these issues is based on their merits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current back disorders are related to his military service, specifically parachute jumps during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a back disability and hypertension due to incomplete records from the Veteran's period of active duty and National Guard service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition, left knee condition, and low back condition due to lack of evidence showing in-service injury or chronic disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine prior to August 2, 2016 is denied as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine from October 14, 2019 is remanded due to inadequate examination findings and further development is needed.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, and back disability, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from April 19, 2010, to May 3, 2020. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis prior to September 16, 2020, and reopening of claim for total left knee replacement.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back condition is denied, as the evidence does not show that his disability warrants a rating in excess of 40 percent. The Veteran's left knee condition has also been rated at 10 percent and remains unchanged.

The Veteran's low back injury prior to November 20, 2008 was granted a 40 percent evaluation.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity were each granted increased evaluations from May 19, 2011 onwards.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, including private treatment records and VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about verifying the Veteran's report of a motor vehicle accident during his active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination reports for the period prior to April 18, 2017. The Veteran needs a new VA examination and retrospective medical opinion.

The Veteran's cervical spondylosis at C6-C7 is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has granted a separate 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy and a separate 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, both effective November 10, 2010.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and headaches disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds that his conditions do not warrant higher ratings for PTSD, lumbar spine DDD, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, knee DJD, shoulder DJD, ankle DJD, elbow tendonitis, or foot plantar fasciitis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, GERD, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to inextricably intertwined issues with the Veteran's other claims. The claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) is also deferred pending resolution of these matters.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's low back condition and GERD are not service-connected. The issues of increased rating for PTSD with anxiety disorder NOS and depressive disorder NOS, and TDIU have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic low back disability is now pending again.