Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left hand/finger disability, and right foot/ankle disability based on the Veteran's credible reports of continuous symptoms since service.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability from February 28, 2018 to June 18, 2024 and denied a higher rating thereafter. The Board also granted a 70 percent disability rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder effective December 1, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for pes planus (flat feet) and remanded several other issues, including service connection for various disorders and increased ratings for the right knee. The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's lumbar spine disorder, left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve disorders, polycythemia vera, and hand and finger disorders as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, continuity of symptomatology, or a nexus to service.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, right shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff strain, and right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities, including bilateral wrist, ankle, foot, shoulder, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, lumbosacral spine, and carpal tunnel syndrome, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and granted an earlier effective date for a lumbar spine surgical scar.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus on an aggravation basis and denied service connection for a back condition and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left hip and thigh condition.

The Board denied increased ratings for various disabilities and granted earlier effective dates for service connection of scars, but denied an earlier effective date for individual unemployability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 20, 2018, for the award of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to follow and secure substantially gainful employment, thus a total disability rating for individual unemployability is granted.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for a back disability and RLE radiculopathy.

The claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, low back pain, and right shoulder pain are remanded due to a lack of adequate notice for VA examinations. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis are also remanded.

The Board remands all service connection claims for further development and to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is related to an in-service bicycle accident.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disorder to correct duty to assist errors, as the previous VA examinations and opinions are inadequate.

The Board remands the claims for service connection as it needs additional evidence and a medical examination to properly evaluate them.

The appeals for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals at a December 2024 Board hearing. The remaining claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions due to a lack of jurisdiction over the claims.

The Board granted service connection for tinea pedis of the left foot and remanded claims for a bilateral foot disorder, cervical disorder, left shoulder disorder, lumbosacral disorder, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and eardrum disorder.