Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle condition, left ankle condition, lumbar strain, and left knee condition as secondary to his service-connected right and left foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and spondylosis (neck condition) due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset or relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, with some issues being remanded.,No new or material evidence was presented to reopen previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability may be related to his active duty service, but more evidence is needed to clarify this relationship and determine if it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were granted with effective dates of October 1, 2010, and February 9, 2018 respectively. The effective date for the award of TDIU is based on his inability to work due to service-connected disabilities since at least October 1, 2010. The effective date for DEA benefits was determined based on the Veteran's permanent total service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinion provided in December 2021 was inadequate and requires further examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected low back disability caused or aggravated his obesity, which may have contributed to his OSA. The examiner must provide opinions on causation and aggravation of obesity by the service-connected low back disability.

Effective August 14, 2018, the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability and associated radiculopathies of the upper extremities are granted. Effective November 19, 2019, the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathies of the lower extremities are also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis, upper back and lower surgical scars, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the LLE were granted effective March 17, 2021. The Board denied earlier effective dates as there was no evidence to support such.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for disabilities manifested by muscle pain in the shoulders and low back, finding no credible evidence of such conditions during or proximate to his claim filing.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and separate ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arthritis, asthma, sleep apnea, back condition, neck condition, flat foot/pes planus, and hypothyroidism, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral eye condition and bilateral plantar fasciitis are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's left knee disability and right knee disability are remanded due to inadequate examination, and the Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability is also remanded.

Your service connection for a low back disability has been granted. Your hearing loss rating was reduced from 40% to 20%, but the reduction is being remanded due to procedural issues. Your TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his low back and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the currently assigned ratings for these conditions during the periods specified.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of right foot disability and lumbar spine disability, finding that the claims were not timely filed within one year of the initial decisions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and secondary service connection for her right hip ilio-inguinal bursitis (right hip disability). The evidence did not support finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and lumbosacral strain are granted service connection, while his PTSD with cannabis abuse remains at a 70% rating. The decision also grants the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his back disability, are related to service. The VA examinations were incomplete in their analysis of the Veteran's symptoms and diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, including arthritis and other spinal conditions, requires additional development due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between his current symptoms and service. The case is being remanded to obtain an adequate VA examination and medical opinion addressing all back conditions reasonably raised by the record.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for various hip, knee, and back conditions as well as hypertension. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence showing a current disability during or immediately prior to the appeal period.