Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he is currently enrolled in college and has attempted to re-enter the workforce. The Board finds that his unemployability is due to his mental health conditions rather than his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's low back disability and referring the issue of TDIU prior to May 23, 2006, on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back condition, including lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and intervertebral disc syndrome. The claim is based on direct service connection due to symptoms that began during service and have continued since.

The Board has determined that no new and relevant evidence was submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, bilateral foot disability, and acne. The Veteran's additional lay statements were found to be cumulative.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back chronic degenerative disc disease and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as there was no evidence of a link between the conditions and his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for back disability manifested by pain and bilateral knee disability manifested by pain. The claim of service connection for psychiatric disability is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heat exhaustion, lumbar spine condition, obstructive sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and OCD), and opiate addiction due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is not competent to provide medical opinions on these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee conditions, sleep condition, and sciatica.

The Veteran's back disability is granted an initial rating of 40 percent, effective May 8, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 15, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her back disability and depression, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since April 1, 2015. Effective from April 1, 2015, the Veteran is granted TDIU and DEA benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain, degenerative joint disease, and degenerative disc disease secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left tibio-talar degenerative joint disease and left ankle sprain residuals. The appeal is also granted for other issues related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed without prejudice due to her death, and there is no properly substituted appellant on her behalf.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain and instability. The current rating decision will be remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has granted an extension of the delimiting date for the Veteran's educational assistance benefits, finding that he was prevented from pursuing and completing his master's degree in public health due to service-connected mental and physical disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a retrospective opinion regarding the Veteran's functional loss due to his back disability and determining whether he is entitled to extraschedular TDIU prior to February 24, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in pre-decisional duty to assist. The AOJ must obtain additional medical opinions and consider evidence not previously considered.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of October 13, 2020. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since February 7, 2020.

The Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine, low back, left hip, headache, and muscle pain disabilities as they may be related to her service-connected right hip disability.