Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are severe enough to require the aid and attendance of another, effective April 3, 2020. The appeal for SMC based on housebound status is dismissed as moot due to the award of SMC under section 1114(l).

The Board has withdrawn the appeal for an increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome and has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bowel and/or bladder disability, as well as other claims related to his spine and knee conditions, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate these matters.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to service connection and rating for the Veteran's back disorder, flat foot disorder, and other conditions due to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as generalized anxiety disorder. The past due benefits awarded in the June 2024 rating decision are eligible for direct payment of attorney fees at a rate of 20%. Service connection for GAD was not initially granted, so no fees can be paid from the July 2024 rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left and right knee disorders, left and right ankle disorders, left and right hip disorders, a right elbow disorder, a back disability, and migraine headaches. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims prior to a scheduled hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with laminectomy for spinal stenosis (back disability), cervical strain with degenerative arthritis (neck disability), and right ankle tendinitis (right ankle disability).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches, chronic vertigo, thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effects of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, low back disability, bladder disability, and musculoskeletal conditions of the feet, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and neck, require regular aid and attendance due to his physical incapacity. The Board granted special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective as of September 25, 2020, but not earlier. The Veteran's marginal income and service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, and right knee disability. Service connection was denied for right eye disability.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's current symptoms of lumbosacral strain, chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, and right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and whether it is aggravated by a service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, total right and left knee replacements, tinnitus, degenerative disc disease with spinal fusion complications, painful middle back scar, and scars of the knees, have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. A TDIU is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbosacral strain, bilateral cataracts, hearing loss, skin rash, chronic sinusitis, gastrointestinal disability (IBS), headaches, and allergic rhinitis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service.

The Veteran's appeals for initial ratings assigned for intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve, and painful scar from microdiscectomy were dismissed because he had already filed a pending supplemental claim regarding these issues.

The Veteran's neck and back disabilities are remanded for further examination to address the medical nexus between service and current diagnoses, as well as the significance of the Veteran's lay reports.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that his current condition had its onset during his active military service.