Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and squamous cell carcinoma due to sun exposure. Service connection is denied for cervical spine, sleep apnea, and right hip conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and for a new examination. The claims for kidney disorder and low back disorder are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disabilities, including IVDS, mechanical back pain syndrome, lumbosacral sprain/strain and radiculopathy, are related to her military service. The claim is therefore granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tenosynovitis, degenerative joint disease of the bilateral hands, and reopened previously denied claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right shoulder disability. The decision also addressed other issues such as increased evaluations and effective dates.

The Board has remanded three issues related to service connection for low back, right hip, and right knee disabilities due to the inadequate nature of previous VA examinations. The new examination is needed to determine if these conditions are aggravated by a service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his anxiety disorder and physical disabilities such as knee pain and shoulder impingement syndrome, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to these service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 20, 2011, and from June 20, 2013, for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine due to inadequate discussion of potentially favorable evidence.

The Board has decided to remand several issues, including service connection for low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to a lack of consideration of a secondary theory. The Veteran's obesity is not considered a disability for VA benefits but may be an intermediate step in determining secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA medical opinions and incomplete records. The issues of headaches, chronic fatigue secondary to PTSD, sleep apnea secondary to PTSD, an increased rating for PTSD, earlier effective dates for PTSD and tinnitus, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of sustaining substantially gainful employment, at least for the period from August 24, 2008, to July 15, 2016.

The Veteran's low back disorder is granted service connection, and he receives a higher rating of 100%. The denial of special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate remains. The jaw disorder issue is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various hip and knee disorders secondary to a right knee disability due to lack of VA examination.

Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral radiculopathy of the lower extremities. A 100% rating is granted for PTSD.,The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder (claimed as diverticulitis with colostomy) remains in dispute, and further evidence is needed.

The Board has restored service connection for prostate cancer and remanded the issues of entitlement to increased disability rating, secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction, and service connection for a back disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective September 10, 2018. The Veteran also received a TDIU effective November 8, 2014.

The Board denied a claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected back and hand disabilities prior to March 28, 2014. The evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's application to reopen his cervical spine disorder claim was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. His thoracolumbar spine disability remains rated at 20 percent, with no change in rating for TDIU.

The Board has restored the ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy to their prior levels, effective June 1, 2013. However, due to procedural errors in reducing these ratings, they are now void ab initio.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and right leg sciatica, both secondary to his service-connected inguinal hernia. The left inguinal hernia was also denied as it did not require a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, finding that these conditions are more likely than not due to his military service.