Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed conditions are not service-connected, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The Board found that the criteria for these benefits had not been met throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequately explained rationales in previous decisions and incomplete development of certain issues, including service connection for low back injury, PTSD, and loss of peripheral vision.

The Veteran's neurological disabilities of the bilateral lower extremities secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine are manifested by mild incomplete paralysis, warranting a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and bilateral leg condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability was not manifest in service and is unrelated to service. The left shoulder rotator cuff injury is also not related to service or a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's sinusitis does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6513.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the Board's decision, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent, and his right hip disability claim was granted. The service connection for flat feet remains pending.

The Board found that the current low back disability with sciatic pain was not incurred or aggravated as a result of service, and therefore denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected back disability. Additionally, an opinion regarding whether he is unemployable due to his service-connected disability will be obtained.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the etiology of his hearing loss in the right ear and low back disorder.

The Veteran's low back condition and right leg condition are found to be related to a service-connected left knee condition, thus service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, right hip disorder, and back disorder. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his spine disabilities, as well as the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Board found no evidence to support a direct service connection for the Veteran's back disability, as there is no medical opinion linking his current condition to his military service. The examiner concluded that it is less likely than not that the Veteran's current back disability is associated with service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the revised criteria. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of his employment history. The TDIU issue will be reviewed by the Under Secretary for Benefits or Director of Compensation and Pension Service to determine if an extra-schedular evaluation is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine disability. The issue of an increased rating for right cervical radiculopathy will also be addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine degenerative disc disease. The evidence did not support a finding that her current conditions were related to her military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for additional development and consideration of his claims, including the recent VA examinations.