Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to insufficient efforts in obtaining federal employment records from OPM or NPRC.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left hip and back condition, as well as the TDIU claim, due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee instability, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), as well as his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance, to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a back condition to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including verifying periods of active service and obtaining a VA examination.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical strain, lumbosacral strain and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, knee strains, psychiatric disorders, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, shoulder disabilities, breathing disability, foot disability, headache disability, and joint disability, to provide the Veteran an additional opportunity for examinations and opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, recurrent lumbar spine disability, and recurrent bilateral leg disabilities as the Veteran has not been afforded VA examinations to determine their relationship to active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all service connection claims, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review them.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed as it was not timely filed within one year of the rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine disability and thoracolumbar disorder, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities are related to in-service combat injuries.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the ratings and service connection of various conditions, including other reactions to severe stress with persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress and panic disorder, migraines, cervical strain, degenerative disc disease, and degenerative arthritis, as well as sleep apnea.

The Board granted an effective date of October 18, 2021 for the award of service connection for bruxism with jaw pain, later diagnosed as TMD, and granted an effective date of October 31, 2019 for a 10 percent evaluation for GERD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various left lower extremity disabilities and a TDIU, as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to correct duty to assist errors, including obtaining outstanding VA and private medical records, verifying a claimed in-service stressor, and scheduling VA examinations.

The appeal for earlier effective dates and increased ratings was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of both knees, bronchitis, plantar fasciitis of both feet, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and PTSD. The low back condition was remanded for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating for his service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded the remaining issues to obtain additional evidence, including medical records and opinions.

The Board granted service connection for back disability, to include back sprain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, left and right shin splints, back, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities as the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities related to service.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings of lumbosacral strain, left knee instability with osteoarthritis, left knee limitation of flexion, left knee limitation of extension, and right shoulder bursitis, osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tendonitis, and repair as the VA examinations are found to be inadequate.