Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran seeks service connection for low back and bilateral foot disabilities. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including a retirement physical from his Air National Guard service, and to schedule the Veteran for an orthopedic examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a personal hearing, and no hearing has yet been conducted. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions and new evidence presented by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spondylosis is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hand disorder, low back disorder, allergic rhinitis, and gastrointestinal disorder, finding that these conditions are related to his second period of active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee ACL tear and finds that the Veteran's current low back and right knee disabilities are related to her service-connected left knee disorder. The claims for low back disability, right knee disability, and psoriasis have been remanded.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disorder, but not for hepatitis or right foot disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and gastrointestinal disabilities. The Veteran is also required to undergo a skin examination to determine if her keratosis is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying the appellant's periods of active duty. The issues on appeal are whether the appellant is entitled to service connection for his claimed back, left leg, and shoulder conditions.

The Board has determined that the grants of service connection for facet arthrosis of the thoracolumbar spine and radiculopathy of the L5 to S1 dermatome were clearly erroneous due to the Veteran's discharge under other than honorable conditions, leading to a denial of restoration of these claims.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral leg disorders that are secondary to his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right ankle. The case has been remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for clarification on whether these conditions are related to his right ankle disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was granted. The claims for service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss were reopened based on new evidence submitted since the previous decisions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to a lack of recent medical examination and records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of current back, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. The appellant's claims for service connection for headaches, neck disability, shoulder disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability are also being reviewed.

The Veteran's low back disability was previously rated at 10 percent prior to June 30, 2010. The effective date for the higher 40 percent rating is now set as of June 30, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to clarify the nature and extent of his service-connected disabilities, including whether any low back disorder is related to his in-service stab wound. The VA will also obtain updated medical records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD, scar, and overall employability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disorder and right great toe arthritis were denied. The claim for an initial compensable rating for his back disability was granted, but with a zero percent evaluation due to the aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

The Board denied a separate compensable rating for neurological abnormalities associated with the service-connected low back disability, including peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The Veteran's subjective complaints were not substantiated by objective findings such as EMG testing.