Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues including increased ratings for hip and back disabilities, a hearing loss rating, and TDIU. The case is being remanded to obtain updated medical records, conduct examinations, and adjudicate the claims on their merits.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not caused by his military service. The claim for a back disability remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating due to bilateral surgical fasciotomies was denied as the surgeries were unrelated to her service-connected disabilities.

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

The Board has ordered the case back for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing supplemental opinions regarding service connection for a back disability and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not suffer an in-service incident, illness or injury to which his diagnosed low back disorder may be etiologically linked and therefore denied service connection for a low back disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 40 percent, while his radiculopathy of the lower extremities received separate 10 percent ratings.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for PTSD, asthma, right knee disability, left knee disability, or back disability. The appellant's current psychiatric condition is diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder and preexisted his period of ACDUTRA service.

The Board has ordered the remand of this case due to inadequate opinion in a previous VA examination regarding the Veteran's back disability. The Veteran contends that his current back disability is related to an injury sustained during service, specifically a parachute accident in August 1975.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder with associated lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's preexisting condition was not aggravated by his period of active duty.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent, while the right forearm disability remains at 10 percent.

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

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability due to conflicting evidence and the possibility that the Veteran's schizophrenia may have affected his ability to recall in-service events.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination and opinion to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current back disabilities, as the previous opinion was inadequate. The claim will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbosacral spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae, leaving only the lumbar strain issue to be decided.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a back disorder and denied his claim for service connection. The hearing loss issue is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including new examinations and the obtaining of additional medical records.

The Veteran's disability ratings for right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating during any of the periods addressed.