Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to missing private medical records and recent VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection, except for fibromyalgia which may be presumed as having been sustained as a result of his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure a complete record upon which to decide the claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected left hip and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has granted service connection for pseudo folliculitis barbae and denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and left ear hearing loss. The issues of service connection for these conditions are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease and joint disease is service-connected, with a grant of service connection. For his right knee patellofemoral chondromalacia, he was granted an initial rating of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing, and not because of any issues with service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's irritable colon syndrome has been rated at the maximum schedular disability rating of 30 percent for the entire period on appeal, and his low back, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy disabilities have not resulted in a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a lower back disorder, and diabetes mellitus (DM), type II. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for her service-connected back disability was granted with an effective date of April 1, 2010. The effective date is based on the VA examination conducted in July 2012.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain was granted, and he is now rated at 20 percent. His service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder as secondary to his low back disability was also granted.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is not service-connected, as it is secondary to a pre-existing low back disability.,Hearing loss and hypertension are not service-connected.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed back disorder attributable to service and that any current back disorder is less likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development of the Veteran's service personnel records, including those pertaining to his USAR service. The claims for left knee disability, low back disability, and bilateral radiculopathy are inextricably intertwined with this request.

The Veteran's claim for a separate 10 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy before January 6, 2010 was granted. The effective date is the date of receipt of the new claim on September 4, 2007.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and an increased rating for his service-connected back disability. The Veteran's right knee disability was not found to be related to service, and the assigned 60 percent rating for his back disability is considered adequate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and lumbar spine disorders are not related to service, and thus denied these claims.