Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder as further development is needed to address the adequacy of the medical opinions regarding direct and secondary service connection.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for scoliosis, a lumbar spine disability, headaches, nausea, and dizziness, all secondary to various conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a low back disability, cervical spine disability, shoulder and knee disabilities, ankle and elbow disabilities, wrist disabilities, and a skin disorder, to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for headaches, a back disability, and bilateral foot disabilities (peripheral neuropathy) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions. The claims for service connection for left ankle and right ankle disabilities were denied. Other claims, such as increased ratings and effective dates, were either denied or remanded.

The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disorder to be re-evaluated with a new VA examination that addresses the Veteran's service and symptoms.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for a cervical spine disability and a lumbar spine disability as it was considered a duplicate appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, right and left hip disabilities, and back disability due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the service connection claims for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity sciatica secondary to IVDS, bilateral plantar fasciitis, a left ankle condition, a left foot condition, and hypertension due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted the Veteran's claims for annual clothing allowances for the 2021 calendar year for use of a bilateral knee brace, a back brace, and an elbow brace due to wear and tear on his clothing.

The Veteran's service-connected insomnia disorder is rated at 30 percent, but no higher, from March 23, 2022, to present. The Veteran is also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of August 31, 2020 for a TDIU but denied earlier effective dates for the service connection of lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of both lower extremities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral hip condition as further development is needed.

The Board denied the restoration of a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's back disability, effective from November 17, 2023, as there was actual improvement in the ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board granted the Veteran's motion to revise the August 1987 rating decision that denied service connection for a back disability on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for peripheral vascular disease, low back condition, left hip condition, and right hip condition as further development is needed.

The appeal pertaining to a proposed reduction of the evaluation of thoracic and lumbosacral strain, degenerative disc disease, IVDS, and retrolisthesis from 20 percent to 10 percent is dismissed because it was not an adverse action.

The Board denied service connection for an abdominal pain disability and a back disability, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or his service-connected left foot disability.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left knee pain, right knee pain, low back pain, sleep apnea, sinusitis, and eye allergies. The initial rating for allergic rhinitis was also denied.

The Board remands the matter for additional development, specifically to obtain a retrospective opinion addressing the additional loss of range of motion present during the Veteran's reported flare-ups at the time of certain VA examinations and whether his range of motions would be further reduced if not for medications taken at the time of such examinations.