Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and to obtain relevant medical records. The issues include increased ratings for lumbar spine DDD with IVDS, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate medical examinations and development needs.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any current lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has found that additional development is required due to the need for updated evaluations and consideration of recent examination findings. The claims are being remanded for further action.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability and remanded the cases of hernia, bowel disability, diverticulosis, internal hemorrhoids, esophageal disability, GERD, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are now pending again with new examinations required.

The Veteran's depression is found to be secondary to his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine.,For GERD, an initial disability rating of 10 percent has been granted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for GERD and remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, cervical and lumbar spinal damage, seizures, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine disability, pes planus, and allergic rhinitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for each condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist disability was remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding its etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including whether it is related to his service-connected right and left knee strains.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as his substantive appeal was not timely filed within the required time frame.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, migraines, and chronic nosebleeds due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the current severity of his psychiatric and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as the etiology of his onychomycosis and left toe injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for her service-connected thoracolumbar and cervical spine disabilities due to inadequate examinations and need for updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that new examinations are necessary to properly assess the Veteran's right shoulder and back disabilities, as the current examinations did not comply with the requirements set forth in Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic back condition or disability in service and that his current diagnoses were not related to any in-service injury. The VA examiners' opinions were considered probative.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. The Board also remanded the issues of rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD with esophageal stricture and eosinophilic esophagitis, and chronic lumbosacral strain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and neck disabilities due to inadequate opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran is required to undergo further examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's application for VR&E benefits to pursue a Juris Doctor was denied because he has already received an MBA and is employable, despite having a service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board found that the evidence did not reach a level of equipoise in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent disabling from January 28, 2010. The lumbosacral strain is rated at 100 percent disabling from the same date. Effective January 28, 2010, the Veteran also receives a 100 percent rating for his service-connected PTSD and SMC based on housebound.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, degenerative disc and spondylitic changes, bilateral leg condition, and bilateral metatarsus adductus due to a lack of medical documentation supporting the Veteran’s assertion that his symptoms began during service.