Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, with IVDS is rated at 20 percent disabling and denied for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating and TDIU due to inadequate rationale provided in previous VA examinations, specifically regarding the assessment of functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder other than scoliosis, scoliosis, and a tailbone disorder. The claims were based on direct service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the lumbar spine disorder and its relationship to service-connected cervical spine posttraumatic arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic lumbar strain and radiculopathy of the lower extremities are being remanded due to new evidence received after the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disorder existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of updated treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and radiculopathy do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on his symptoms.,For service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, additional development is needed as remanded by the Board.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc disease is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his death. The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease was also dismissed as the Veteran died during its pendency.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a back disability and granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The case is remanded to obtain VA treatment records, determine if hypertension is related to active service or aggravated by PTSD and/or sleep apnea, and provide an opinion on whether it was caused by these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence, including private records from various providers.

The Board has granted service connection for a left foot disability and remanded the issues of service connection for left knee and back disabilities. The Veteran's left foot disability is found to be related to his military service, but the VA examiners have not provided opinions on whether his left knee and back disabilities are secondary to his left foot disability.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from December 30, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's cervical strain with degenerative disc disease and bilateral neural foraminal narrowing, finding that his condition more nearly approximates the criteria for such a rating. The decision also noted that he does not meet the criteria for an increase in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess its current severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, bilateral shoulders, knees, left hand, and wrist, right knee, left knee, left hand wrist degenerative joint disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction, preclude substantially gainful employment from June 17, 2008. Therefore, a TDIU is granted for this period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active service. The Court vacated this decision and remanded it to the Board, but the Board found substantial compliance with the remand requirements.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back injury, neck injury, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, left elbow disability, and flat feet (pes planus) due to a duty to assist error in obtaining missing service records from Stuttgart, Germany.