Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a low back disability secondary to his knees, were granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding it at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and/or medications used to treat PTSD. The claim of entitlement to an increased evaluation for DJD of the thoracolumbar spine remains in remand status due to inadequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including providing clarifications to a previous VA medical examination report and possibly scheduling another VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated based on all evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from finding and maintaining substantially gainful employment that is sedentary in nature.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The disability rating for chronic degenerative disc disease at C5 was restored to 20 percent effective November 1, 2009.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip degenerative joint disease and low back degenerative disk disease, finding that these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The claim of reopening a low back disability was also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and low back disability, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims, and that there was no link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant SSA records and verifying herbicide exposure. A VA examination is also needed to determine if current disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for recurrent epididymitis was granted, with a 10% disability rating. The service connection claim for a low back disorder remains denied.

The Veteran's audiometric data throughout the appeal period does not show impaired hearing in either ear. The Board finds that service connection for bilateral hearing loss must be denied at this time.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including his back disability, bilateral hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbar strain and hallux rigidus. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The Veteran's current back disability is related to his active duty service and the Board has granted service connection for segment dysfunction and degenerative changes of the thoracic and lumbar spine.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered together, render her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a back disability. The Board finds that no earlier effective date is warranted as the claim was not pending prior to April 21, 2006.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule him for a video conference hearing in Washington D.C.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the highest schedular rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board also found service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities associated with his lumbar spine disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and articular chondrocalcinosis of the knees are not related to his service, including his parachute jumps. The evidence does not support a finding of a nexus between these conditions and his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and a VA examination to address the claim for service connection for low back disorder as secondary to service-connected perirectal abscesses.