Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal of all remaining issues has been withdrawn by his representative.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent, and his left lower extremity radiculopathy is also rated at 10 percent. The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings as there was no evidence of incapacitating episodes or other factors warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a low back disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding his service connection and exposure history. The case will be reviewed again with consideration of additional development.

The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted a higher rating, but his claim for service connection of a heart condition and low back disorder remains pending. His claim to reopen the low back disorder is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical, lumbar, and thoracic spine disabilities are not service-connected. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his claim for an effective date prior to May 28, 2010 for tinnitus. The claims of increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and back disability were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and requesting an addendum from the May 2012 VA examiner to address whether his low back disability was aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus and left thigh quadriceps muscle herniation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and providing a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current left knee disability, as well as evaluating his psychiatric and low back disorders. The claims will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for her L5-S1 disc herniation protrusion were denied.,For the period prior to January 29, 2007, she was not entitled to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent. Since then, she has not been entitled to an evaluation in excess of 40 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for cervical spine strain and degenerative disc disease of the L4-5 with facet arthrosis were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and diabetes mellitus are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and an old VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine condition status post spinal fusion, right leg neuropathy, left leg neuropathy, right hip condition, and left hip condition as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain resulted in a 20 percent rating, and his radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was rated at 10 percent. The claims for higher ratings were granted.

The Board finds that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and eczema. The most probative evidence does not show a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine are rated at 20 percent, effective May 19, 2011. His left lower extremity radiculopathy is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claim for further development due to inadequate examination and failure to address certain medical records.