Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for increased disability rating for thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease with degenerative disc disease at L4-S1 is denied as his disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for left knee and right knee disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of the conditions warranting a higher than 10 percent rating.,A separate 10 percent disability rating is granted for slight lateral instability of the right knee from July 30, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to the need to obtain VA treatment records related to her back, feet, and knees from April 2, 2020 to the present.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The claim for left lower radiculopathy prior to December 19, 2018 was also denied. However, a 40 percent rating was granted for left lower extremity radiculopathy from December 19, 2018.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at the highest available rating due to limitation of motion. His radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities has been rated as 10 percent prior to November 15, 2019 and 20 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and low back injury due to incomplete consideration of evidence, including new diagnoses and lay statements. The cases are returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, and the claims for secondary service connection for lumbar spine disorder and left knee disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine DDD is rated at 10 percent prior to November 29, 2018 and denied for a higher rating. From November 29, 2018 onwards, the claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral foot disabilities due to incomplete opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current conditions.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's back disability and also granted TDIU. The decision was based on the evidence showing that the Veteran’s back disability did not meet criteria for higher ratings, but met the criteria for a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of evidence of unfavorable ankylosis.,The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic and femoral nerve radiculopathy are both currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds no basis for a higher rating as there is no evidence of moderately severe or more severe incomplete paralysis.

Service connection is granted for lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and headache condition.,Service connection is denied for acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder and lumbar spine disorders, and peripheral neuropathy. The issues are related to whether these conditions are secondary to a service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right knee, left knee, left hip, and right hip conditions due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the same condition was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 40 percent for the thoracolumbar spine disability, effective from April 5, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for dental trauma, lumbar spine disability, left eye disability, and increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 9, 2019 and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter. The decision found no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as associated radiculopathies, are granted with effective dates of September 28, 2007.

The Veteran's disability rating for lumbar disk disease with left lumbar radiculopathy was increased to 40 percent disabling from February 20, 2014 to March 16, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine, recurrent peptic ulcer disease, and chondromalacia of the right knee, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since April 27, 2006.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right hip, and left hip disabilities as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability due to deficiencies in the adequacy of the VA examination reports and need for further development.