Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for a lower back disability, left knee strain, bilateral ankle strain, right lower extremity sciatica, and PTSD based on military sexual trauma.

The Board remands the matter for an additional medical opinion to assess whether the Veteran's low back condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected knee and ankle disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine disabilities, diagnosed as a chronic low back strain with degenerative disc disease (DDD) at L4-5 and L5-S1 facet degenerative hypertrophic changes as L4-5.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and records.

The Board denied service connection for esophageal stricture and denied higher initial disability ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, lumbar spine scar (back scar), and GERD. A 10 percent rating was granted for the back scar under Diagnostic Code 7804.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and assigned an initial rating of 10 percent for hypertension.

The appeal for service connection for a low back disorder and lower extremity peripheral nerve disorder was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement.

The Board denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with lumbosacral strain and spondylolisthesis, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy was granted a higher rating of 40 percent, but the claim for a higher rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar disc degeneration and DDD was remanded.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for headaches, asthma rating reduction, and low back condition. The claims for bilateral flat foot and fallen arches, right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. However, the 70 percent rating for PTSD was restored.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar disc herniation and herniated nucleus pulposus of lumbosacral region, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to the service-connected lumbar conditions.

The Board denied initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee disabilities, and in excess of 20 percent for a thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for entitlement to earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for a right ankle disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, left knee disability, and lumbosacral disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including heart disorder, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, lumbosacral strain, cold weather injuries, sinusitis, degenerative arthritis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to obtain a TERA memorandum and appropriate medical examinations.

The Board denied service connection for back, neck, and right knee disabilities other than degenerative arthritis, as well as an earlier effective date for the award of a 50 percent rating for PTSD. The initial compensable rating for bronchitis prior to May 2, 2023 was also denied.

The proposed severance of service connection for various conditions was dismissed as the Veteran's appeal was invalid due to the nature of the May 2024 rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, stenosis, and IVDS based on a favorable finding by the RO that new and relevant evidence had been received to readjudicate the claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all service connection and increased rating claims.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for left shoulder impingement syndrome, left foot sprain, and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability on an extraschedular basis, as further development is needed.