Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, and lumbosacral strain as the July 2023 VA medical opinions are found to be inadequate.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, have precluded him from being able to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disorder to correct a duty to assist error, specifically failing to provide a VA examination.

The Board granted an effective date of November 19, 2019, for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis and left lower extremity radiculopathies but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral degenerative arthritis and strain based on the Veteran's continuous symptoms since separation from service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress, as well as left knee strain status post arthroscopic surgery, right knee strain status post arthroscopic surgery, and lumbosacral strain with IVDS, to include as secondary to service-connected bilateral hip disabilities, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that it was caused by his active service.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and left hip condition, but denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, hypertension, right hip condition, and skin condition with recurring callouses.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left ankle condition, hearing loss, and back condition to correct pre-decisional errors, specifically failing to provide adequate VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for lumbar laminectomy scar residuals, restored the 30 percent rating for nephrectomy scar residuals, and denied a compensable rating for lumbar laminectomy scar residuals. The cervical spine claims were remanded.

The Board granted an effective date of July 25, 2016, for the grant of service connection and ratings for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, intervertebral disc syndrome, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of July 18, 2023, for the award of a 100 percent rating for liver cancer and SMC housebound.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back condition and right lower extremity radiculopathy as new VA examinations are needed to determine their nature and etiology.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, as well as a higher rating for tinnitus.

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

The Board remands the claim for a low back condition to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining an adequate VA medical opinion.

The Board denied increased ratings for tinnitus, lumbosacral disability, and right knee disability but granted separate 10 percent ratings for instability due to an ACL tear in the knee and residuals of a right knee meniscal tear. The claims for service connection for migraine headaches and cervical spine were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding functional ankylosis and aggravation of obstructive sleep apnea by service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to correct an error in the duty to assist, specifically related to inaccuracies in a VA examination report.