Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, and low back disability as these claims were later granted in full by the AOJ.

The Board remands the claim for a thoracolumbar spine condition to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding its etiology, specifically addressing whether it is related to the Veteran's in-service injury and service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for depression, lumbosacral strain, and an increased rating for left knee strain to ensure adequate development of the record.

The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for lumbosacral strain and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU).

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability, all of which are related to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating of lumbosacral strain to provide the Veteran with a more thorough examination that addresses flare-ups, as required by law.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection based on the current medical findings.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder with opioid use disorder and denied a temporary total rating for hospitalization in February 2023 and March 2023. The remaining service connection claims were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for erectile dysfunction with Peyronie's disease and service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, a lower back condition, tinnitus, and a left knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, right elbow disability, right knee disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD and trouble sleeping.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and a compensable evaluation for a left lower extremity nerve condition due to a need for VA examinations to assess the severity and manifestations of these service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied increased disability evaluations for the Veteran's right and left knee conditions and thoracolumbar strain, but granted service connection for migraine headaches.

The Board remands the service connection claim for a back disorder to obtain a medical examination and opinion, as new evidence was received since the final March 2015 rating decision.

The appeal for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability is dismissed as the benefit sought has been granted in full.

The Board remands the appeal to obtain an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disorder caused or contributed to his obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, which in turn may have contributed to his death.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, including degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbar dorsopathies, radiculopathy/sciatica, and degenerative arthritis, as there was no persuasive evidence of an in-service incurrence or a nexus between the in-service toxic exposure risk activity and the current disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or an earlier effective date.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and PTSD, restored the 50 percent rating for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, and denied service connection for a low back disability. The Board also denied an increased rating for TBI residuals and an initial compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied a rating higher than 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with spinal fusion and IVDS from September 14, 2021 to April 7, 2022; granted a 60 percent evaluation for right total knee joint replacement effective December 1, 2021.

The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for headaches, to include migraines, and a 20 percent evaluation for lumbar pars interarticularis defect L5 with grade 1 anterolisthesis.