Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for back, bilateral shoulder, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities due to outstanding records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities to correct an error by the RO in satisfying a regulatory duty.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc and facet disease, right leg radiculopathy, left leg radiculopathy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and assigned initial ratings of 20 percent for a left ankle strain, 30 percent for chronic sinusitis, and 30 percent for headaches.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding the propriety of severance of service connection for tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, and right shoulder strain as these issues were reinstated. The appeal for costochondritis was denied due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to active duty.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar scoliosis due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to address the Veteran's lay statements and provide an opinion on whether his lumbar spine condition is related to his active-duty service or his service-connected bilateral knee condition.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied it for bilateral hearing loss, a back disability, asthma, hypertension, bilateral pes planus, bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral elbow arthritis, erectile dysfunction, and kidney disease.

The Board granted service connection for multiple orthopedic disabilities related to injuries sustained while wrestling in service.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected tension headaches, finding that his symptoms nearly approximate a 10 percent rating. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis, claimed as a lower back condition, finding that the Veteran's current back condition was not caused by his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder strain, and right shoulder strain.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of June 14, 2019, for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy but denied it for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including hyperacusis, vertigo, chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia, psychiatric disorder, fatigue-related issues, and low back condition, to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for migraines, a low back disorder, a neck disorder, and bilateral shoulder disorders based on the Veteran's credible statements about chronic symptoms during active duty.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis and DDD of the lumbar spine and a 10 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Board granted service connection for IBS, chronic sinusitis, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to lumbar spine disability), increased ratings for the lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, and increased ratings for knee instability and upper extremity radiculopathy. Tension headaches were also granted an initial rating.

The Board remands the matter for an additional medical opinion to address whether a low back disorder is related to service, including any symptomatology or duties therein.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and remanded claims for sleep apnea, left hip, right hip, and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings to correct errors by the AOJ, including obtaining medical opinions that adequately address the Veteran's symptoms and medical history.