Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and denied service connection for a sinus disorder. The Veteran's back disability is presumed to have existed prior to service, but the evidence does not support aggravation during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability is not caused by or a result of his military service, and denied service connection for sciatica of the right lower extremity and sciatica of the left lower extremity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current knee and back conditions are not related to his military service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including hearing loss and spine conditions, were denied as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease that would support the current diagnoses.,Service connection could not be established for any of the claimed disabilities due to a lack of credible evidence linking them to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hip and low back disorders are not related to his military service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability, including multilevel lumbar degenerative disc disease and multilevel lumbar facet osteoarthritis, is not shown by competent and credible evidence to be the result of his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back, right hip, and left hip disabilities are not related to service. The in-service motor vehicle accident did not result in chronic conditions.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for a lower back disability with left lower extremity radiculopathy has been granted, and he is also entitled to a separate 10 percent rating for the left lower extremity radiculopathy. The TDIU issue remains part of his increased rating claim.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder and a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not causally related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back condition during service and denied the claim for service connection, concluding that any current back disability is not related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has not met the criteria for a higher initial rating of greater than 10 percent prior to September 21, 2011 and greater than 20 percent thereafter. The current disability rating remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are currently evaluated at 50 percent, but the Board has remanded to consider an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and scoliosis were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service and no medical opinion linking these conditions to service. The current diagnoses are considered to be due to natural progression over time.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA examinations, including a need for an orthopedics specialist examination of the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder and opinions regarding the relationship between his low back and shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a low back disability, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to an inadequate VA examination, new evidence from Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and conflicting medical opinions. The claim will be reconsidered with these factors in mind.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability warrants a 60 percent rating on an extra-schedular basis, and he is entitled to TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder in September 1973, finding that the pre-existing condition did not worsen during active duty. The motion for CUE was denied as there is no evidence showing a different result would have ensued.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine are related to his military service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is related to his active service, but there is no evidence of a right ear hearing loss disability during service or within one year thereafter. The claim for right ear hearing loss disability is denied.