Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is related to her service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were rated as follows: lumbosacral strain at 40 percent; tinnitus at 10 percent; right knee disability at 10 percent; left lower extremity radiculopathy at 10 percent, and bilateral hearing loss at noncompensable level. The Veteran was initially entitled to a TDIU rating on November 18, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to a decision being made by the Board.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on four of the six remaining issues, leaving only one issue for consideration.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral vision loss under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and lumbar spine disability were all denied by the Board.

The Veteran's varicose veins of the right lower extremity, back disability, and right knee disability are found to be related to his service-connected left ankle fracture with traumatic arthritis.

The Veteran's low back disability did not meet the criteria for a 40 percent evaluation from March 28, 2007, to January 25, 2010.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training, as well as to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding the onset and relationship of his claimed conditions to service. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his right knee disorder and breathing disorder. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current status of his ankle, shoulder, and knee disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disorders are causally related to his service, including an in-service motor vehicle accident. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that service connection for a bilateral hip disability is granted, and an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is denied.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability, but did not reach a decision on whether the Veteran's current condition was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing correspondence and requests for an extension of time. The Veteran and his attorney have 60 days to respond with additional arguments.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes of IVDS.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claim for service connection for a back disorder can be decided.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The issue of entitlement to service connection for left and right lower extremity disability, to include as secondary to low back disability, is remanded for further development.