Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2012

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability and finds that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Veteran currently experiences a back disability, which may be related to his in-service injury. However, there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and the left knee and hip disabilities are not found to be secondary to any service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to address whether the Veteran's current low back disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right hip disorder. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability, specifically degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination of his service-connected lumbosacral strain with postoperative stenosis, and to obtain information regarding possible physicians who may have prescribed bed rest for IVDS.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including acid reflux, high cholesterol, erectile dysfunction, kidney disease, thyroid disorder, gout, and lower back/shoulder disabilities, were denied as these conditions are not presumed to be related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hip and low back disabilities did not have onset in service or were not caused by his active military service. The right shoulder, headaches, and anxiety conditions are also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and an adequate etiological opinion regarding his lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Scheuermann's disease with degenerative disc disease, GERD with hiatal hernia, bilateral hearing loss, mechanical episodic brachial plexus compression radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, mechanical episodic brachial plexus compression radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and tinnitus, are found to be so disabling as to render him unable to care for his daily personal needs or protect himself from the hazards and dangers of daily living without regular aid and attendance. The Veteran's need for such aid is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his current back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a change in hearing officer, and you are entitled to another video-conference hearing before a VLJ at the earliest available opportunity.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including degenerative changes and disc bulges of the lumbar spine, right foot disorder (degenerative joint disease), and right knee disorder (degenerative joint disease and deep vein thrombosis), were not shown to be related to service. The Board therefore denied these claims.

The Board granted an effective date of November 24, 1999 for a 50 percent disability evaluation for PTSD. The Veteran's service connection claims for back disability, neurological disabilities of the hands and lower extremities, and heart disability were all found to be supported by evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine if an allergy exists to hearing aids, and to evaluate the Veteran's current disabilities. The claims for service connection and extraschedular rating for bilateral hearing loss are also being remanded.

The Board found no current cardiovascular disability causally related to service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral foot disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied these claims. The skin disorder claim is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is found to be related to post-service work injuries, not service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration due to incomplete service records, lack of medical evidence linking the Veteran's current low back disability to his military service, and the need for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed lumbar spine disability that is related to his military service. The Board finds the evidence against a finding of service connection due to lack of continuity of symptomatology and no in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the Waco, Texas RO. Service connection claims for back disability and gastroesophageal reflux syndrome (GERD) are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches, chronic bronchitis, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions, and there was no evidence linking them to his military service.