Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) for any period on appeal.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine has not resulted in ankylosis or significant limitation of motion, warranting a rating no higher than 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for low back strain, left hip disability, and bilateral leg numbness. The Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is not related to his service-connected PTSD.,Obstructive sleep apnea was not diagnosed during service or linked to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's back disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since October 25, 2012. The Board found that the evidence showed significant improvement in his condition from August 31, 2017 onwards, warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's diagnosed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss had its initial onset in service or is otherwise shown to be etiologically related to service. The Veteran's back disorder also has been found to have an onset during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the record, including VA treatment records and a recent VA examination. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease between L3 and S1 and osteoarthritis of the thoracic spine have worsened, but a VA examination is needed to determine the appropriate rating.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a neurological disorder of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that new evidence did not establish a chronic disability during military service or a relationship between service and current conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and posttraumatic stress disorder, have rendered him unable to use his lower extremities without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. The RO is directed to review the evidence and determine if he meets the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been reopened and granted. His malaria is rated at a compensable level (30%). The Veteran also has service-connected disabilities that preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for cervical spine and lumbar spine disorders, but further development is needed before the merits of these claims can be addressed. The case will be remanded to obtain treatment records and an additional VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, but did not result in total occupational and social impairment. The Veteran is granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board found no evidence of a causal connection between the Veteran's current knee and lumbar spine conditions and his military service, thus denying service connection for these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is less likely than not related to his 1978 complaints of low back pain during service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have onset during service and is presumed incurred therein. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a back injury/low back disorder in February 2009. The Veteran's claim was reopened, but new and material evidence has not been received to establish a link between the current condition and his period of active service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating based on functional loss due to pain and other symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and inextricably intertwined with his TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a back disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been received. The Court affirmed this decision.

The Veteran's left shoulder replacement disability is currently rated at 50 percent, and his lumbar spondylolisthesis is rated at 60 percent. The Board denied an increased rating for the left shoulder and found that the criteria for TDIU were met during certain periods. SMC at the housebound rate was also denied.