Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sacroiliac and lumbar L4-S1 arthritis as secondary to his service-connected hypertension, finding that the fall from a ladder in November 2011 was caused by new hypertension medication.

Your appeal seeking service connection for lumbar strain has been dismissed as the AOJ (Regional Office) granted this benefit in a December 2023 rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that these conditions began during active service and have continued since.

The veteran was discharged from service due to a back disorder that was later found to be service-connected. As a result, she qualifies for VA home loan guaranty benefits.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at the maximum disability rating of 100 percent. Service connection for GERD, upper back disability, right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, and lumbosacral strain are denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has remanded for further development regarding a higher rating.,Service connection for neck arthritis and depression as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed degenerative disc disease, finding that it began during his active service and is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding increased ratings for PTSD, left calcaneal fracture residuals, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. Additionally, a TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for various hip and lower extremity disorders, including a lumbar spine disorder, as well as secondary claims related to these conditions. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not shown to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis lumbosacral spine with spinal stenosis was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine and left shoulder disabilities were incurred during service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for VA examinations related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a 40% rating for service-connected lumbar spine strain is granted, effective May 30, 2012. The effective date of the TDIU claim remains February 2, 2018.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,The Board will consider all of the Veteran's current manifestations of his conditions during the entire period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and the need for retrospective opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected shoulder degenerative arthritis, back condition, and knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and back disability due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The appeal is also referred to the AOJ for adjudication of a claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and requires an addendum opinion from a clinician regarding whether the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his active service.

The Board remands the matters of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, as additional evidence is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as they are considered to be a result of the Veteran's in-service back disability.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a 60 percent initial rating effective August 7, 2015, for GERD with gastritis. The other claims were denied.