Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's low back disability, as the most recent examination report is deemed inadequate.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine multilevel spondylosis with mild canal narrowing at C3-4 through C5-6, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right shoulder strain and tendinitis, left shoulder tendinitis and tendinosis, as well as secondary radiculopathies in the upper and lower extremities.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claim for lumbosacral strain due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for a low back disability, left knee disability, and schizophrenia to provide the Veteran with additional VA examinations due to his attempts to attend scheduled examinations.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder is granted a 70 percent rating, while the claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and both lower extremity radiculopathies are denied due to failure to report for necessary VA examinations.

The Veteran's low back condition and right knee condition were granted ratings of 50 percent and 20 percent, respectively, from December 1, 2023. The other conditions for which increased ratings were sought were denied.

The Board remands the claim for a back condition as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee and ankle conditions due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood, GERD, contact dermatitis, left ankle gout, degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, left knee meniscal tear and gout, left big toe gout, left elbow gout, status post cervical fusion, and sleep apnea, as they are related to active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, finding that the evidence was at least in equipoise that it began during active service and has continued since. Other issues were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, respiratory conditions, foot and ankle issues, knee and shoulder problems, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, IBS, and sleep disorders.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, right ankle tendonitis, and dermatitis to correct duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and denied increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, right knee DJD limitation of flexion, left shoulder arthritis, and other issues. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for depressive disorder and separate 20 percent ratings for right knee instability and right knee DJD limitation of extension.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder and right hip disorder to obtain additional evidence and an opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board remands the claims for increased disability ratings for back and bilateral knee disabilities to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the lumbar spine disability and separate 10 percent ratings for right and left knee instability, while denying higher ratings for right and left knee disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral cataracts, restrictive lung disease/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, and low back pain/back osteoarthritis. The claim for a compensable initial disability rating for hypertension was denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability and skin disability, to include as due to herbicide agent exposure, for further development of the record.

The Board denied an effective date prior to February 10, 2021, for the grant of service connection for PTSD with alcohol and cannabis use disorders, as well as increased ratings for various disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several other issues, including a claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA effective dates were granted as of July 7, 2020, but no earlier.