Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent effective August 17, 2018. Service connection for hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, right foot disability, left foot disability, and right shoulder disability are denied. TDIU is granted effective July 30, 2018.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis of the spine is rated at 40 percent, which is the highest rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. This decision grants a higher rating based on functional loss equivalent to ankylosis.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing a link between the condition and active military service. The claim for lumbosacral strain is remanded as there was an inadequate medical opinion in the February 2022 VA examination report.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for OSA, turf toe (left and right feet), left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's current disabilities are not established by the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an earlier effective date for the 30% rating for BPPV were denied. The Board found no new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudication of the low back disability claim, and determined that the earliest date as of which it is factually ascertainable that an increase in disability has occurred was August 11, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his lower back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, or residuals of a right knee injury with chondromalacia and degenerative changes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury and PTSD, have resulted in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person. The Board finds it at least as likely as not that the Veteran is in need of such assistance due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is granted at 40 percent. Increased ratings are granted for patellofemoral tenosynovitis, right knee and left knee.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to ensure substantial compliance with prior remand instructions, specifically regarding an examination that must address evidence of the Veteran's right hip disability starting in 1990 and her assertion during hearings that she injured her back while descending ladders onboard Navy ships.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted a non-initial disability rating of 60 percent disabling, but no higher, from August 5, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, heart disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to incomplete development. The RO must conduct necessary development as directed by the August 2024 Board remand and then readjudicate the issues.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for colon cancer, but denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate medical examinations. Another examination is needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee, lumbar spine, and associated radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical spine disability was denied. The VA examinations did not indicate any incapacitating episodes or other complications that would warrant a different rating.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current low back disability had its onset in service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder and its relationship to service. The case will be reviewed with a new medical opinion focusing on the nature of the symptoms and treatment reported by the Veteran in the 1960s.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant records and conducting necessary examinations. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical evidence, including SSA disability benefits records, and undergo VA examinations for his claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and providing adequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's back disability is being reviewed for direct service connection as well as secondary service connection.