Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, low back disability, and right knee disability. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the other issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to the need for additional VA examinations and the inextricability of these issues.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar myositis was denied. The issues of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and TDIU were remanded due to conflicting medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back, left knee, right knee, right ankle, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities due to incomplete examination reports and conflicting findings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral foot disability has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claims are now pending before the Board.,The VA is required to obtain additional medical records, including treatment from the Social Security Administration and VA health care facilities.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disorder was granted. The initial disability rating for ischemic heart disease remains at 30 percent, but a separate 10 percent rating is granted for atrial fibrillation associated with it.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted effective prior to March 25, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and for obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's low back disability has been granted a 20% rating, but the Board finds that there is not enough evidence to determine if he meets the criteria for a higher rating. The case is remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of sciatica, left foot drop/left-sided weakness, and lumbar spine disability has been reopened. Secondary service connection is granted for these conditions due to the service-connected cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 20 percent for degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there was no evidence of forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, nor were there any incapacitating episodes of IVDS during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a back disability is denied.,Effective dates are granted for the grant of service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, both from November 30, 2010.,The Veteran’s TDIU claim is remanded due to lack of schedular rating requirements.

The Veteran's claims for right foot, left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine, low back, right knee, and left knee disorders have all been denied as they are not service-connected.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for lumbar spine disability due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is still pending as it was remanded for further development.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral spine disability is now rated at 40 percent effective June 18, 2014. Additionally, a separate 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected lumbar spine disability is granted from November 11, 2016.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to deficiencies in previous examinations and because of allegations of worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating. The remaining claims for increased ratings are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and found that his current lumbar spine condition is not related to his military service. The ratings for his left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were reduced from 10% to 0%, but the Board determined this reduction was improper, and restored the prior ratings.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations of record failed to adequately address range of motion measurements in times of flare-ups and have ordered a new examination to re-evaluate the Veteran's condition during the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for a lower back condition and diabetes mellitus, type II, was granted. The claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, as well as the claims for nerve conditions of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, were denied.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is denied because there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service.