Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his active service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service for the claimed conditions. Service connection was not granted for tinnitus, but denied for all other claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder did not have its clinical onset during service and is not otherwise related to service.,The Board also found that the Veteran's hypertension was not related to his period of active service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a chronic back disability attributable to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that there was no evidence showing a chronic back disorder in service or within one year after discharge, and the Veteran's current condition is not otherwise shown to be associated with service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's chronic back disability and sciatic nerve neuropathy did not have its onset during active military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic lumbar spine disorder during or after service. The Board also found that the current lumbar spine disorder is not related to service or his service-connected left thigh disability. The TDIU rating claim was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The remaining claims are remanded due to further development being required.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient medical evidence and the need for new examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge of the Board in Washington, D.C. or another location closer to Georgia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and left leg disorders are not related to his military service. The claim for a lumbar spine disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the claim for a left leg disorder is denied due to lack of a diagnosed condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to address his breathing condition, back condition, and bilateral knee conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spondylosis, to include as secondary to degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine (back disability), is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinion and potential alternate theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's service connection claims for IBS, migraines, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral hip disability are granted due to the presumptive provisions applicable to Persian Gulf War veterans.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease and left shoulder arthritis are found to be related to his military service, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions. The issue of an increased rating for the lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the VA has not provided a rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine disorder prior to March 6, 2013, and he does not meet criteria for a compensable rating for his left knee disorder prior to March 24, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his current knee and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to evaluate the Veteran's service-connected low back disability, including obtaining work attendance notes and any leave-related records submitted by his employer.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee and low back disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.