Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition and bilateral pes planus, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The claims are now before the Board to decide on their merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to service, and thus grants this claim.,However, the evidence does not support a finding of bilateral hearing loss disability due to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine (claimed as middle/lower back disorder), and diabetes mellitus, type 2 are all proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. As such, these claims have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, providing proper VCAA notice, scheduling a VA examination for hearing loss, and scheduling examinations for the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral ankle disabilities, and right elbow disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and right shoulder strain were not service-connected.,PTSD was granted at 70% effective September 28, 2011. The reduction of prostate cancer from 100% to 20% in April 2010 and then to 40% in September 2012 was found proper.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for congenital low back and pelvic disability, right knee disability, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's claims are therefore denied.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's death may be related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus remands the case for further development including obtaining VA medical opinions.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including left knee osteoarthritis, low back degenerative disc disease, hemorrhoids, bilateral foot osteoarthritis, and respiratory disability (COPD).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination report and further development is needed.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's claim for basic eligibility for VA home loan benefits is being remanded due to the need to locate and associate any missing documents, obtain his complete service treatment and personnel records, and obtain any decision associated with his application for correction of his military records.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any current disabilities of the Veteran's shoulders, arms, back, legs, and other joints are related to military service or caused by his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have headaches, a back disability, or a neck disability that are causally related to his military service or to service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine and lumbar spine disorders, finding no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The only competent opinion against the claim is based on a lack of continuity of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's heart disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and low back disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of PTSD and a lumbar spine disorder, finding that no pending claim existed prior to July 29, 2010.