Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues for further development.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back condition, to include as secondary to a service-connected disability, due to insufficient evidence and non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board remands the issues of increased disability ratings for various conditions due to a failure to substantially comply with previous directives.

The appeal for a separate compensable rating and higher rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy was withdrawn by the Veteran, leading to the dismissal of these claims.

The Board denied the claim for an increased rating for a lumbosacral spine strain disability, as the Veteran's lumbar spine symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a low back condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, increased disability ratings for lumbosacral strain and right inguinal surgical scar.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, to include arthritis of the thoracic and lumbar spine, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of accidental gunshot wound. The left knee disability issue was remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for additional evidentiary development.

The Board granted a 40% rating for bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy and TDIU, but denied increased ratings for the back condition, lumbar scar, and other hip conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings, but granted a TDIU based on his combined service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a 100 percent rating for bipolar I disorder from June 21, 2021, and a TDIU from November 20, 2018, to June 21, 2021.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative joint disease, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy but denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for eligibility for specially adapted housing is granted due to his service-connected disabilities affecting the function of balance and propulsion, precluding locomotion.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back condition, right knee osteoarthritis, and GERD and hiatal hernia to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied readjudication of the claim for service connection for right hip pain, as secondary to a service-connected condition, and remanded the claim for low back pain, also linked to a service-connected condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back, bilateral knee, and right ankle conditions to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the March 2022 rating decision on appeal.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability, effective January 24, 2022. The Board also granted an earlier effective date for GERD.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was granted a 70 percent disability rating, and earlier effective dates for service connection of left hip and thigh iliopsoas tendonitis were denied. Several issues related to increased ratings and remands were also addressed.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for migraine headaches as it was previously granted. The claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) with bruxism, left ear hearing loss, and a compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss were remanded due to errors in the RO's prior adjudications.