Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, including degenerative disc disease and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, was not shown in service or for many years thereafter and is not otherwise etiologically related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is related to his service-connected left hip disability, granting service connection for this secondary condition.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including lupus, weak bladder, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and gynecological problems, have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since September 5, 2002. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis from that date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that there is no evidence of chronic back pain since separation from service and that any current conditions are not related to his period of active duty.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are all granted as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board finds that remand is required for a new VA opinion to address the Veteran's claim of service connection for lumbosacral spine arthritis, as there are inadequate opinions in the current record regarding both the preexistence and relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her lumbosacral spine disability have been dismissed as she has withdrawn the claims prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability, finding that there was no evidence showing the condition had its onset in service or is otherwise causally related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, including her bilateral knee and lumbar spine conditions, have prevented her from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since April 10, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's lumbar spine IVDS is granted at a 40 percent evaluation beginning November 17, 2016. The initial evaluations for sciatic radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, but denied service connection for other conditions including a duodenal ulcer, lumbar spine disability, neuropathy of the lower legs, cervical spine disability, neuropathy of the upper arm, right ankle disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and bilateral shin splints.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected low back disability and radiculopathy are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for service-connected pansinusitis with headaches was denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU benefits due to his service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that there is no medical evidence showing a nexus between these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records, and requests that VA attempt to obtain any remaining service medical records. The AOJ must document all efforts made and provide a formal finding of unavailability if no further records are found.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. His bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, diabetes mellitus at 20 percent, right and left knee degenerative joint disease each at 10 percent, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease at 10 percent, and erectile dysfunction did not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and remanded the issues of rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain and TDIU.

The appeal was dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, and thus the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.