Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, and spinal fusion of the lumbar spine was denied as the Veteran failed to attend a necessary VA examination without good cause shown.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease, lumbosacral strain, and PTSD with major depressive disorder, but granted a 10 percent rating for limitation of extension in the left knee from August 9, 2023.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, a lumbar spine disability, right hip strain, and left hip strain to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeal seeking entitlement to service connection for a low back disability was dismissed because no prior rating decision addressing the issue had been issued in the previous year.

The appeal regarding the proposed reduction of the lumbosacral strain disability rating from 20% to 10% was dismissed as it cannot be appealed until an actual reduction has taken place.

The Board denied increased ratings for obstructive sleep apnea/asthma, lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board remands the claim for a back disability, to include degenerative arthritis, for further development including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee, low back, migraine headaches, tinnitus, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of proper notification for examinations.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded claims for right shoulder disability, low back disorder, eczema, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right hip strain, left hip strain, right knee strain, sciatica, bilateral lower extremities, and bladder and bowel incontinence.

The Board remands the claim for a back disability to obtain a new medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current back disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected opioid use disorder.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities as there was a lack of compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back disability under the combat presumption due to insufficient evidence and the need for an examination.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disorders but denied service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, diagnosed as lumbar spondylosis, finding no evidence of a link between the condition and his active duty or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied an increased rating for the back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 20 percent prior to March 12, 2016 and 40 percent from March 12, 2016 to April 21, 2017.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent disability rating for the lumbar spine and a 30 percent rating for the cervical spine, but these ratings were not increased. The Veteran's claim for TDIU from June 17, 2021, was also granted.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability from May 1, 1992, but denied an increased rating prior to that date and other claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.