Back / lumbar spine — all decisions

The Board granted an initial increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and remanded the claims for service connection for pain of the left shoulder, pain of the lumbar spine, and sciatic radicular pains.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including tinnitus, traumatic brain injury, post-concussion migraines, peripheral vestibular disorder, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome thoracolumbar spine, lumbar right side sciatic nerve radiculopathy, lumbar left side sciatic nerve radiculopathy, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, and cervical right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20% rating for lumbar spine disability and service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, while denying service connection for vertigo.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities as they are not related to the Veteran's in-service frostbite or any other in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, linear midline lumbar surgical scar, and bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability and dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, left thumb tremor, and bronchitis due to untimely filing of a notice of disagreement.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including consideration of additional evidence and readjudication by the AOJ.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine disability and earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the left great toe, finding no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension, OSA, low back disorder, left hip disorder, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for thoracolumbar strain with bilateral sacroiliitis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee DJD, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, psoriasis, acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and various other injuries and conditions claimed by the Veteran.

The Veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from December 22, 2011.

The Board denied service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis, left ankle achilles tendinopathy, post-traumatic (concussion) headaches, and TBI. The appeal for an earlier effective date was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder but granted service connection for a lower back disability with right lower extremity radiculopathy on a secondary basis, and denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The appeals for service connection and TDIU were dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.