Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Board previously denied service connection for a low back disability. The Court has vacated the decision and remanded the case to the Board, requiring further development including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's current low back disability.

The Board granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and assigned a retroactive effective date to October 22, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed headaches and low back disability are not related to his active service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting sinusitis did not undergo an increase in severity during service and denied his claims for service connection for sinusitis, rhinitis, and degenerative joint disease of the low back.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate previous VA examination and incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for mechanical low back strain was denied, with a final noncompensable rating prior to June 18, 2012 and a subsequent 10 percent rating from that date forward.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability in service and insufficient competent medical evidence to link the current condition to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim has been reopened, and service connection is granted. Service connection for bilateral knee chondromalacia patella (patellofemoral syndrome) and degenerative disc disease at L5-L1 are also granted. The back disability claim is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, finding that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also found in favor of the Veteran on the merits, determining that his current lumbosacral spine disorder is secondary to his service-connected left ankle condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule a VA examination, and readjudicate the TDIU claim. The issues of service connection for depression and increased evaluations for right ankle and bilateral knee disabilities are also being addressed.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, which he claims had its onset during service. The VA has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his current back disorders.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Board found that he did not meet the durational requirement for a total disability rating in existence during his lifetime under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities have been rated as 10 percent each, but the VA examiners found that both conditions do not warrant a higher rating based on their current functional limitations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar disc disease and any neurological manifestations. The effective date claim will be adjudicated in conjunction with the CUE claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of kidney stones, and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability and granted service connection based on evidence showing that his current degenerative joint and disc disease is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's abdominal and back symptoms are related to his service-connected appendectomy scar. A VA examination is needed to determine if these disabilities are separate from or related to his existing service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for neck disability, finding that his current neck disability was not incurred or aggravated in service and may not be presumed to be service-connected.

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 consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder and vertigo and cephalgia due to withdrawal by the Veteran.