Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability was denied in an October 2013 rating decision. The Board has now remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion on whether his back disability is aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and medical records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection and ratings for various disabilities, including back disability, trigeminal neuralgia, sinusitis, and an effective date for service connection. The issues include increased ratings, a separate rating for left trigeminal neuralgia, and an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the claims for a back disorder, PTSD evaluations, and TDIU due to ongoing evidentiary development.

The Board has denied all service connection claims, finding no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, and right shoulder rotator cuff disability as there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding the issue of an increased rating for paraspinal lumbar spasms. The examiner was not able to distinguish all symptomatology due to the Veteran's service-connected paraspinal lumbar spasms from that due to other nonservice-connected low back disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is at least as likely as not related to his documented low back injury in service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for low back strain, finding that new and material evidence supports the claim. The Veteran's chronic back pain is related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are so severe that they preclude him from obtaining and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation, thus meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for extraschedular consideration due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's remaining claims, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his low back disorder. The issues have been remanded due to the need for further evidence and clarification.

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depression. Service connection is denied for residuals of epididymo-orchitis (originally claimed as a groin injury). The issue of service connection for back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance due to his service-connected lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease was denied as the back brace issued by his private provider does not qualify as an appliance that tends to wear or tear his clothing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, right knee, left knee, and right ankle disabilities. The claim for service connection for a low back disability is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for right trapezius muscle strain prior to April 21, 2017, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is also remanded. Her claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right hip acetabulum labrum tear is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating were denied. The intervertebral disc syndrome was rated at 20 percent, the painful scar at 10 percent, and the postoperative scar associated with IVDS remains noncompensably rated.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and review due to unclear information regarding flare-ups in the low back disability evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to an incomplete factual basis without consideration of the Veteran's lay statements and provides insufficient evidence for a decision on service connection.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical and lumbosacral spine disorders were denied. The cervical spine disorder claim was reopened due to new evidence, but the lumbosacral spine disorder claim remains closed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, back condition, neck condition, and bilateral SNHL has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder. Tinnitus is also granted as service connected. The claims for back condition, neck condition, and bilateral SNHL are denied.