Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board found no evidence of a cervical or lumbar spine disability in service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection as his disabilities are not related to his period of active military service, including assumed chemical and environmental exposures during his Persian Gulf service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and right knee pain have been denied. The claim for chronic low back pain remains pending due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that there is no service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, as it did not develop during his active duty and is not related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The issue of an increased evaluation for his low back condition remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service for the left ankle, and his back and psychiatric conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of his disabilities, and there was no evidence to support higher ratings or service connection.

The Veteran's current bilateral foot, left wrist, and left hand disabilities are not service-connected.,His low back and cervical spine conditions also do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis and associated radiculopathy were not rated higher than the assigned percentages, and SMC based on need for aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine and lumbar spine degenerative joint diseases, finding that these conditions had their onset during service and are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disability and whether he is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back and hip disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

Service connection for a skin disorder (chloracne) has been reopened and granted.,No service connection issues were resolved in this decision.,Right foot hallux valgus was found to be related to the service-connected right knee disability, but not due to service exposure or combat.,Right hip degenerative joint disease is secondary to the service-connected right knee arthritis.,Right ankle disorder is also secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.,Lumbar spine arthritis is not related to service and was found to be secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.,No eyelid disorder has been established as a result of service or exposure.,Residual acne scars from chloracne are considered service connected due to herbicide exposure.,Respiratory disorders (COPD, chronic bronchitis) were not related to service and are presumed due to Agent Orange exposure.,Prostate disorder is also presumed to be due to herbicide or trichloroethylene exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability is granted. The claim for an increased rating for dilated aortic root from December 10, 2010 to November 30, 2014 is denied as the RO had already severed service connection for this condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the rating for IVDS of the thoracolumbar spine and service connection for left hip osteonecrosis. The Board is dismissing these issues.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected back disability has been withdrawn.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for low back, right knee, right ankle, and left ankle disorders due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. However, the underlying merits of these claims remain pending.

The Board has determined that service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is granted. The claim for secondary service connection for residuals of stroke to include as secondary to service-connected low back disability is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability. The Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss was aggravated by active service, while his currently diagnosed low back disability is considered a chronic disease under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a copy of the examiner's credentials.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left foot and ankle disabilities have been reopened. The claim for back disability is pending, with the decision on whether it meets the criteria for 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 benefits being mixed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The May 2013 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is less likely than not related to his service, including an injury therein.