Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, with spondylosis, is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of low back, right ankle, left hip degenerative joint disease, and right hip degenerative joint disease. The new evidence shows that these conditions are likely due to his service-connected hammertoe condition with hallux valgus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and medical opinion. The Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and right knee disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with arthritis and degenerative disc disease was rated at 20 percent prior to July 12, 2012, and remains at that rating thereafter. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the combined service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability is related to his service, while his back disability is not. The claim for a back disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide him with a new VA examination to assess his bilateral shoulder disorder and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back and leg disability, as well as his bilateral foot disability, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU were granted, but the specific ratings assigned are not provided in this decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder. The evidence submitted does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide adequate VA opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his thoracic spine scoliosis and lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as his back and neck disabilities, are related to his service. The Board has granted the claims for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the Veteran's complaints of back pain during and immediately after service are credible and consistent with his combat service in Iraq. The claim for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a separately diagnosed sleep disorder related to service or a service-connected disability. The claim for compensation purposes for loss of teeth numbers seven and eight is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar scoliosis with herniated lumbar disk is currently rated at 20 percent, effective November 27, 2009. The claim for increased rating remains in appellate status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and bilateral knee disabilities are related to his service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran meets the threshold requirements for TDIU due to a single service-connected disability rated at 40 percent or more and a combined rating of 70 percent or higher. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including depression, left knee disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, and left ankle and hemorrhoids.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip and low back pain. The case is now remanded to obtain VA treatment records, schedule a VA examination, and readjudicate the issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, prevented him from engaging in heavy physical or strenuous manual labor but did not prevent him from performing sedentary work.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.