Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a Social Security Administration (SSA) record. The Veteran needs to provide information about his mental health provider who stated that his condition is related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was not aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection. The issue of secondary service connection for HTN to PTSD is also pending, as well as an increased rating for PTSD and a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder and left leg nerve damage are not directly related to his service, but may be secondary to his service-connected residuals of fracture to C4-5-6. However, the evidence did not establish a current diagnosis for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's chronic back disability did not have its clinical onset in service or until years later and is not otherwise related to his active service. Degenerative joint disease of the spine was also not exhibited within the first post-service year.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for a low back disability as it was granted by an October 2011 rating decision. The claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA medical examination to address the Veteran's low back disorder and congenital anomaly at L4 with fusion to L5.

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

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 20 percent, and the claim for an increased rating has been denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were withdrawn, and the Board found that there was no evidence of a heart disability, asthma, stroke and residuals of stroke, dental condition, hepatitis C, or bilateral arm nerve disability in service. The claims for diabetes and Dercum's disease were also denied due to lack of evidence of herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, is service-connected due to a combat-related injury during his active duty. The appeal for a higher initial rating for PTSD was withdrawn prior to decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings for the right knee and back disabilities, as well as a TDIU rating prior to January 14, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD and an internal medicine specialist opinion regarding whether his combined disability picture prevents him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including vision disorder, low back disability, groin disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral leg disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability. The effective date of the grant of service connection for pes planus was set at February 24, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability, arthritis of the spine, and degenerative joint and disc disease were not incurred in service or due to any incident therein. The evidence did not establish a nexus between his active duty service and these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain and herniation of the nucleus pulposus, but the underlying issue of whether these conditions are related to service remains pending. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's T-8 compression fracture with residual thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease and lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent, which reflects the limitation of motion in flexion to 15 degrees. The rating remains unchanged as there are no additional factors warranting an extraschedular evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability was reopened and granted effective August 1, 2007. The appeal regarding increased evaluations for left lower extremity radiculopathy has been withdrawn and reinstated.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disorder.