Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back condition and major depressive disorder (MDD) with panic disorder as secondary to the Veteran's lower back condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete STRs and the need for additional examinations. The issues of gout, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, OSA, multiple painful joints, upper and lower back disorders, and bilateral hearing loss are all being addressed.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's disability rating for lumbosacral strain should be remanded due to inadequate examination and failure to consider lay statements of record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, insomnia, and a mid/lower back condition. The evidence did not show that these conditions were related to his active-duty service.,There was no mention of anxiety or insomnia in the Veteran's service treatment records (STR). His separation physical showed no change in health since entering service and no back condition was noted.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to April 1, 2020, for the award of a 20 percent rating for chronic lumbar strain is dismissed. The appeal for an effective date prior to April 1, 2020, for the separate rating for LLE radiculopathy is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disability, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, and a post operative neck scar are granted with effective dates of March 14, 2013.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's low back disability and a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar-spine degenerative disc disease and history of lumbar fusion, right-lower-extremity neuropathy, left-lower-extremity neuropathy, right-knee meniscal tear (claimed as bilateral knee condition), left-knee meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis, and bilateral foot pain with gait abnormality for further examination to determine if these conditions are secondary to his service-connected skin pathology of bilateral feet.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve was granted a disability rating of 20 percent effective October 22, 2019.,The Veteran's lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome was granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent effective September 7, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a heart condition and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that his current heart conditions were related to his active-duty service or any other service-connected disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for all issues related to service connection, as the Veteran did not timely file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) or use the proper form for her claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. 1114(s). The TDIU claim is being referred to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration, while the SMC claim will be deferred until the TDIU claim is adjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates of service connection for thoracolumbar strain, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, and right knee scars have been denied.,There is no evidence in the record that supports an earlier effective date for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's back brace, prescribed for his service-connected back disability, causes wear and tear on his clothing. The Board has determined that this meets the criteria for an annual clothing allowance for 2020.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right shoulder strain with impingement syndrome, lumbosacral strain, De Quervain's tenosynovitis with left wrist strain, and left quadricep strain have been granted. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral knee, left ankle, and cervical strain are being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a low back condition was dismissed because the VA Form 10182 submitted in February 2022 was not timely filed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and right carpal tunnel syndrome have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been remanded.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for service-connected allergic rhinitis was denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a gynecological disorder were all denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection on all six claimed conditions before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back condition as there is no competent evidence of a current disability or diagnosis.