Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral pes planus, and lumbosacral strain due to procedural defects in the appeal process.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, chronic migraines, left knee disability, low back disability, right knee disability, and right ear hearing loss. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied. The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied. The Board remanded the claim for service connection for a sinus condition (claimed as sinusitis with nose bleeds).

The Board denied an increased rating for tinnitus and dismissed the appeals related to the proposed reductions in ratings for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis and rotator cuff tendonitis, and cervical spine.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left foot disability, and determined that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for back, left knee, or right knee disabilities.

The claim for service connection for a back disability was readjudicated based on new and relevant evidence, but the issue is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with IVDS was granted a 40 percent disability rating, and service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathies associated with the condition was also granted.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for hypertension and CAD, granted a 10 percent evaluation for hypertension, and remanded several other claims.

The veteran was granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to a service-connected disability (TDIU) from April 28, 2017, and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) as well as special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound criteria were established from the same date.

The veteran's appeal request was denied as it was not timely filed, and no good cause was shown to extend the filing period.

The Board granted service connection for dyshidrotic eczema of the hands and denied service connection for chronic headaches, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, left hip strain with various limitations, left knee joint osteoarthritis, pain of lumbar spine, and other specified trauma-and stressor-related disorder.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for low back strain with herniated disk, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The appeal for service connection for hypertension was dismissed due to a claims processing error. The appeals for service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and back disability were denied, while the appeal for sleep disorder was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) as she did not meet the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board granted a 20 percent rating from July 21, 2021, for the Veteran's spine disability and remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for chronic laryngitis but denied an initial compensable rating for injury to the pharynx. The Board also remanded several service connection claims and a TDIU claim.

The Board denied service connection for multiple disabilities, including left knee, right knee, lower back, upper back/neck, right shoulder, and bilateral foot conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to January 7, 2021, as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain and secure substantially gainful employment during that period.

The Board granted an increased rating of 70 percent for dysthymic disorder and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability, effective July 31, 2008.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including the side effects of medication taken to treat his back disability, precluded substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.