Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for abdominal pain, dysuria, a back disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy/sciatica. Service connection for vision disability is denied.

The Veteran's TBI with PTSD was granted a disability rating of 70 percent effective May 6, 2021. The other conditions were denied.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for her lumbar and thoracic spine condition and service connection for thrombosis, TIA, or cerebral infarction (claimed as cerebral accident) to include as secondary to her traumatic brain injury are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions at the time of the May 2022 decision.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, left shoulder disability, and residuals of rib fracture. Service connection was granted for tinnitus.,The right testicular torsion claim is remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted during the relevant periods on appeal are inadequate and lack certain information for the Board to make a fully informed decision as to the severity of the Veteran's lumbosacral strain. The claim is remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right arm disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, and headaches. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and potential PACT Act exposure issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and right ankle disabilities are rated based on limitation of motion. The Board found the criteria for higher ratings were not met.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to the cumulative effects of his service-connected disabilities, and the Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

Effective dates of November 7, 2013, are granted for service connection of lumbar degenerative disc disease and right shoulder osteoarthritis. Service connection for bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve dysfunction is denied prior to May 26, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, OSA, and a back disability due to insufficient evidence and duty to assist errors.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims for a lower back disability, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), right knee disability, respiratory disease including tonsillitis, bronchitis and sleep apnea, ulcer condition, migraine headaches, skin disability, tuberculosis, and insomnia due to unclear evidence of service connection.,Service connection cannot be established as there is no current diagnosis for the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities, specifically his cervical spine degenerative disc disease and obesity. The initial ratings for the neck condition, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, and back condition are remanded.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, due to an inadequate opinion addressing secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for left knee and lumbosacral spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing new opinions regarding flare-ups and their impact on range of motion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, finding that his current diagnoses of lumbar strain, lumbar spondylosis, and degenerative disc disease are related to his active duty and National Guard service.

The Board granted service connection for back, right knee, left knee, and right hip disorders, but denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, hypertension, coccyx disorder, and hearing loss in both ears. The appeal was also remanded for further action on several other issues.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a back disability and for TDIU due to the need for additional medical opinions addressing the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected fractures of the right tibia and fibula with shortening of the right leg and his diagnosed back disability, as well as whether these fractures aggravated any diagnosed back disability. The new standard from the Federal Circuit in Spicer v. McDonough (2023) applies to secondary service connection claims, and the Ward v. Wilkie (2019) definition is applied for aggravation.