Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of a low back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and right knee disorder due to secondary service connection. The case requires an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected left knee disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, as appeals do not survive their deaths.

The Veteran is seeking a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to February 29, 2008. The Board has determined that the claim should be remanded for further development and consideration by the Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including those related to exposure to environmental contaminants in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during his Persian Gulf War service, is being remanded due to insufficient rationale and conflicting information provided by previous VA examiners. The Board requests new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions and new contentions from the Veteran's representative. The Veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative disc disease of the spine, which was previously denied in April 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to increased ratings for service-connected disabilities and the TDIU issue. Additional development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for clarification on whether the Veteran's thoracic spondylosis and lumbosacral strain began during service or are related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher initial ratings for service-connected lumbar spondylosis and entitlement to a TDIU due to inaccuracy of the September 2020 VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's range of motion during flare-ups, passive and active motions, and weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing positions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, which includes lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc and arthritis, is rated at 40 percent effective as of the date of this decision.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied. The RO granted an increased 20 percent rating effective March 13, 2019.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent, and his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of private treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD with OCD is granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's low back disorder needs further examination and a proper nexus opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for painful joints and bilateral eye disabilities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.,Specifically, the VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s current joint pain and eye disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and further evaluation is required.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and its relation to his active duty service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for left shoulder, right shoulder, and chronic lumbosacral strain disabilities as there is no case or controversy.

The Veteran's initial rating for back disability was denied, but a higher rating of 20 percent is granted effective January 18, 2014. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy from the same date.