Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's increased rating claims for tension headaches and visual field defect associated with facial nerve palsy have been remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and psychiatric disorders, cervical spine disorder, back disorder, elbow disorders, wrist disorders, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, ankle disorders, and foot disorders. The decision was based on the lack of evidence showing a direct link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and will be reconsidered by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for service connection of a low back disability, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board finds the VA medical opinions in April 2014 are inadequate and remands for new opinions to determine if the Veteran's right hip, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are related to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability as secondary to service-connected neck disability and denied service connection for a heart disability due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection, increased rating, and TDIU due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The issues include secondary service connection for cervical spine disability, separate ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU based on his lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is etiologically related to his active service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a back disability is granted.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating of a lumbar spine disability, right lumbar radiculopathy, and left knee disabilities was granted with effective dates.,An initial compensable rating for the status-post left knee surgical scar was denied.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the appellant is not entitled to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 because he did not meet the durational requirement for a total disability rating in existence during his lifetime.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease, as well as left and right shoulder disabilities manifested by pain, popping, and limitation of motion. Service connection for a right knee disability is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, GERD, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to pre-decisional errors in VA examinations.,VA is required to provide a VA examination if there is (1) a current disability; (2) an injury or disease in service; and (3) a possible nexus between them.

The Board granted service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, dismissed the claim for lumbar disability as moot, and remanded the claim for benign prostatic hypertrophy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar strain, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a failure to provide a VA examination addressing the Veteran's lay contentions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and bilateral flatfoot, as well as his claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,The Board has found that the Veteran is not entitled to a compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits was granted in full, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.,The Veteran's headaches with dizziness were rated at 30 percent prior to February 23, 2022. The Board found that while he experienced characteristic prostrating attacks once a month, they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of severe economic inadaptability.,Prior to February 23, 2022, the Veteran's lumbar strain was rated at 10 percent. The Board found that while he experienced characteristic prostrating attacks once a month, they did not meet the criteria for an increased rating due to lack of severe economic inadaptability.,After February 23, 2022, the Veteran's lumbar strain was rated at 20 percent and this rating is denied as there is no evidence of incapacitating episodes or other factors warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, right and left knee disabilities, hand disabilities, and foot disabilities due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and denied the claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis, low back disorder, left lower extremity numbness, right lower extremity numbness, left upper extremity numbness, right upper extremity numbness, and tension headaches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current low back disability and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative disc disease, cervical spine. The VA examiner will need to provide a thorough opinion considering all relevant evidence.