Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis with spinal fusion, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected bilateral patellofemoral syndrome and Osgood-Schlatter disease.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's request for a compensable rating for his surgical scar of the lumbar spine is denied. The decision also denies service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remands the claims for right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and left knee disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches and a disability of the neck, upper back, and/or cervical spine is being remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination. The Veteran has not established service connection for her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied because there is no factually ascertainable increase in disability prior to September 3, 2002 that would warrant an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS and left lower extremity sciatic nerve disability was denied. The case is remanded to schedule the Veteran for a VA peripheral nerve examination for the left lower extremity sciatic nerve disability.

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims due to duty-to-assist errors, including failure to obtain relevant private treatment records and rescheduling of VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis, a chronic thoracolumbar spine disability, and a chronic cervical spine disability. The Veteran's symptoms began during his active service and have persisted since.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU based on this.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in the need for aid and attendance as he required care or assistance on a regular basis to feed himself, keep himself clean and presentable, and protect him from hazards or dangers inherent in his daily environment. The Board granted special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings on various service-connected conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in any of these cases.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a lumbar spine disability is dismissed. The Board has granted readjudication and granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of his left shoulder disability, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various ankle, elbow, foot, knee, and back disabilities. The appeals were dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (VA Form 10182).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, wedge fracture T11-T12, degenerative disc disease, and intervertebral disc syndrome was denied in October 2020. The Veteran filed a supplemental claim on November 29, 2021, which resulted in service connection being granted effective that date.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is denied. The appeal to reduce radiculopathy ratings (right and left lower extremities) is dismissed as no final decision has been made.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar fusion with IVDS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar fusion with IVDS. The decision is based on continuity of symptomatology from service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied, and their lumbar spine disability remains at a 40 percent rating. The appeal to reopen the depressive disorder claim is dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and cervical radiculopathy. The Veteran's GERD claim is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there was no credible evidence linking them to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for OSA and the restoration of a 20% disability rating for right knee disability. The Veteran's PTSD, back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were all denied increased ratings.

The Veteran's PTSD, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right knee PFS with limitation of flexion and extension, and left knee PFS with limitation of flexion and extension are all rated as they currently stand.,An initial rating higher than the current ratings for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is caused and/or aggravated by his service-connected right foot plantar fasciitis, granting service connection for this condition.