Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for a VA examination and additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and evaluating the severity of his service-connected lumbar spondylosis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and ensuring the Veteran has received notification of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding its etiology and whether it was aggravated by his service-connected right ankle degenerative joint disease and/or bilateral foot degenerative joint disease.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claims for right knee disability and low back disability are pending.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that any service-connected disability caused or contributed substantially or materially to the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further VA evaluation and consideration of his claim for service connection for a recurrent lumbosacral spine disorder, including degenerative disc disease, injury residuals, and low back pain.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, which he claims is related to his military service. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for low back disability, hearing loss, and polysubstance dependence/mood disorder will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is caused or aggravated by his left knee disability.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher ratings for his low back disability and associated radiculopathy was granted. He is currently assigned a 40 percent rating for the low back disability as of August 30, 2011, with noncompensable ratings for the lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, related to service.,There is no evidence of a current right ankle disorder.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to a confirmed in-service stressor, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The kidney disorder and low back disability issues are remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and needs further examination of the Veteran's back disability.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and granted service connection, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claim of in-service injury and current disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete Air Force Reserve records and missing SSOC page. The claims are not yet decided on their merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and his low back disability is at least as likely as not related to service. As such, both conditions are granted.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a back disability in service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The preponderance of the evidence does not support the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as his lumbar spine disability. The initial evaluations assigned are in excess of what was previously denied. However, the appeal regarding service connection for disequilibrium resulting from acoustic trauma during active military service remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease of L4-L5 and S-1, and lumbar degenerative disc disease with spondylosis and spondylolisthesis at L5-S1, is service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.