Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and bilateral lower extremity femoral radiculopathy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine DDD is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for residuals of a head/neck injury.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and degenerative changes of the lumbar spine render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

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

The Veteran has submitted new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for low back, upper back, bilateral hip, and bilateral shoulder conditions. The Board will now review the merits of these reopened claims.

The Veteran's left knee arthritis has been rated at 10 percent since September 14, 1997. The lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome issue remains unresolved as the appeal is not about service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic lower or upper back condition during service, and the Veteran's current conditions are not linked to his military service. The Board denied both claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck disability, back disability, left eye disability, residuals of cold injury of feet, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, and depressive disorder. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The issues of entitlement to initial compensable disability ratings and service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back disorder. The TDIU claim will also be considered during this process.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the current severity of his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for DJD of the lumbar spine is dismissed. The Board has reopened his previously denied claim of service connection for pes planus and granted it, finding that the pre-existing condition worsened during military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her failure to report for a scheduled videoconference hearing. Her initial rating claims for thoracolumbar strain and right ankle strain are still pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosed arthritis of the lumbar spine was not incurred in or caused by active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, varicose veins, bilateral foot disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, and back disability have been denied. The Board has ordered a remand due to the Veteran not receiving proper notice of his scheduled videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease, L3-4 and L4-5, with compression fracture of L4 vertebral body is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence does not show forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less, or favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision. The issue of special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or household status is being remanded due to outstanding records.

The appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sciatic nerve pain, including as secondary to a low back disorder, will be reconsidered.