Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the claims for Parkinson’s disease, dementia, a psychiatric disorder other than dementia (including PTSD and depression), and a back disorder due to potential exposure to herbicides sprayed under living quarters in Thailand. The Veteran's service connection claim will be reconsidered with an additional medical opinion.

The Board has granted the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, both secondary to PTSD. The other claims have been denied as new and material evidence was not provided.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone have not rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus the claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and neck disability need further examination and clarification. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service or their relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and a headache disability, including as secondary to service-connected hypertension. The decision is based on the need for additional medical records and an examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the Veteran's back disability. The decision on service connection remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding a lower back disorder, including potential service connection for an injury during active duty. The Veteran needs to provide records from any hospital he visited after his reported motor vehicle accident and should be scheduled for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits of lumbar spine disorder, skin cancer, and vision disorder have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied. Separate ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities were upheld.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's TBI, upper back disability, and carpal tunnel syndrome are all being reviewed again.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and increased evaluations for supraventricular arrhythmias, as well as her request for an earlier effective date for service connection.,Specifically, the Board found that there was no evidence of a current back condition related to active duty service or any in-service injury. The Veteran's claimed right leg sciatica radiculopathy was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, right ankle disability, and erectile dysfunction secondary to PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's low back disability and his service-connected knee disabilities. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to determine if his current low back condition is related to service or developed from strenuous activities during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment prior to August 4, 2014.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic renal failure are all granted service connection. The claims for discoid lupus and degenerative joint disease with levoconvex scoliosis of the lumbar spine have been reopened due to new evidence. These issues are remanded.

The rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative changes with myofascial pain syndrome was reduced from 20 percent to 10 percent, effective January 23, 2017. The reduction was not proper as it did not consider whether there was an actual improvement in the Veteran’s ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including right shoulder numbness, left ankle condition, angina (chest pain), inguinal abscess pain, low back strain, fracture of the left ring finger, compression fracture at C5-6, residuals of circumcision and balanitis, and left cervical radiculopathy with degenerative disc disease in the left upper extremity. The remand is due to the need for additional VA treatment records from March 2018 onwards.

The Veteran's rating for DDD of the cervical spine was reduced from 30 percent to 10 percent, effective August 1, 2016. The Board has determined that this reduction was improper and has restored the original 30 percent rating.