Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine degenerative joint diseases, with a rating of 20 percent effective as of the date of decision.

The Board has granted service connection for low back pain, OSA, and DM due to their proximate relationship with the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder. The Veteran was also granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent for his major depressive disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the record regarding the Veteran's neurological manifestations, specifically right leg sciatica. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to determine current severity of his lower back disability and whether he has right leg sciatica.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the listed conditions have been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal of appeal. The Board has not jurisdiction over these issues as they are no longer in contention.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with a February 2016 Board remand directive, which required scheduling the Veteran for a new VA examination. The examiner was supposed to consider the Veteran's statements of pain since service and her medical history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow gainful employment prior to September 17, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions. The Veteran needs VA examinations to determine if his current bunions, ganglion cyst, right shoulder condition, low back condition, pes planus, and sleep apnea are related to his military service.

The Veteran's use of a back brace for his service-connected thoracolumbosacral degenerative arthritis is considered, and he is granted an annual clothing allowance for the year 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's back disability was incurred during service or if it is otherwise related to his military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and right leg neuropathy are granted. The left leg neuropathy is granted with increased ratings.

The claims for service connection of PTSD, hypertension, and low back disability have been reopened. The claims for hemorrhoids and head injury remain denied.

The Veteran's back disability is being remanded for further examination and to obtain relevant medical records. The current staged ratings are not contested, but the VA needs to ensure all pertinent treatment records are considered.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder, but remanded the claims for hypertension and lumbar spine disability (scoliosis) due to insufficient evidence.

Service connection is granted for a psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability (degenerative disc disease), and cardiovascular disorder. Other service connection claims are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back disability, specifically whether it is related to service. The Veteran claims his current condition began during deployment in Iraq.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for low back disability, neck disability, and arthritis of the bilateral lower extremity due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding her low back conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for back, neck, and right lower extremity disabilities (including right ankle) as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's time in service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, left knee disorder, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, low back disorder, left hip disorder, and right hip disorder. Additional development is required due to incomplete records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the issues of low back condition, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, and weight loss was dismissed. Service connection was granted for an unspecified trauma-related disorder but denied for stomach condition and headaches.