Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Board has granted service connection for avascular necrosis of the right hip, left hip, and lumbar spine spondylosis, degenerative disc disease, and disc herniation status-post discectomy due to injuries sustained during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left foot disability and rhinitis, but denied service connection for a left finger disability and back disability.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of increased evaluation for his lumbar spine disability has been dismissed as he wishes to withdraw that claim. The case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for thigh and leg cramping.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher rating for PTSD are pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for chronic prostatitis. The claims for diabetes, acute epididymitis, and PTSD have been found to be supported by evidence of a current disability, in-service exposure to Agent Orange, and medical nexus opinions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records, personnel records, and VA/Non-VA medical records. The TDIU issue is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back pain is not a current disability and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of residuals, right thoracolumbar strain with mild spondylosis and granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The decision is favorable to the Veteran.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for lumbar strain with multilevel degenerative disc disease L4-L5 and L5-S1. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disorder (claimed as an upper back disorder) is remanded due to the failure to provide a Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing evidence and a need for additional VA examinations. The Veteran's neck disability, including radiculopathy symptoms in the upper extremities, and head injury residuals are on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy disability and concluded that it was less likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations. The issues of service connection and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, low back disability, headache disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability as there is no current evidence of these conditions. The appellant failed to report for multiple scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, and there is no evidence to support a higher rating based on current functional impairment or associated radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for left above-the-knee amputation and lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease are denied as the evidence does not support a higher evaluation under applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spine disorders did not develop during service and are not related to any in-service injury or event. The claims for residuals of lumps on the head and a respiratory disorder were also denied as there is insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder was not incurred or aggravated by his active military service and may not be presumed to have been.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and lumbar spine disability, as well as his bilateral knee disabilities including DJD, are not service-connected. The evidence does not show any chronic symptoms of these conditions during service or for many years after separation from service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back and right knee disabilities are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disorder, nor do they otherwise relate to service.