Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical, lumbar, and bilateral knee conditions are related to his service as a paratrooper. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability and remanded it for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination. The Veteran is seeking to establish service connection for his current low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with spondylosis and degenerative joint disease of the right knee are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability was not incurred in service and is not related to his military service. As such, the claim for service connection for a back disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and an addendum to the April 2010 VA opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including consideration of service connection under the presumptive provisions due to potential exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that no new and material evidence has been presented.

The Veteran seeks service connection for headaches, low back disability, and venous circulatory insufficiency. The Board has ordered remand to obtain updated medical records and provide the Veteran with another VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct a new VA examination. The issues include increased evaluations for service-connected lumbar strain, arthritis of the left knee, and meniscal tear of the left knee.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and medical records. The issues include seeking an increased rating for lumbar strain, service connection for left hip and knee disabilities, and determining if these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to October 26, 2011 and increased to 40 percent effective October 26, 2011. The right lower extremity sciatic nerve impairment was also rated at 10 percent prior to October 26, 2011 and increased to 20 percent effective October 26, 2011.

The Veteran's spondylosis of the lumbar spine was initially rated at 10 percent prior to October 2, 2013, and increased to 40 percent from October 2, 2013. The rating is based on functional impairment due to pain without showing ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and a separate rating for left lower extremity weakness is granted. The Board finds no basis to grant higher ratings under the schedular criteria.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records and personnel information related to the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA opinion regarding whether the appellant's low back disorder is related to her period of ACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's back disorder has been productive of limitation of flexion to 30 degrees throughout the appeal, warranting a 40 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection on all of his listed conditions was denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations and insufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic right shoulder strain, chronic right knee strain and degenerative joint disease, chronic bilateral hip strain, and chronic lumbar spine strain with right L5 radiculitis strain on a secondary basis to his service-connected left foot disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbosacral degenerative disc disease and arthritis did not have their onset in service, nor are they related to any in-service injury or event. The claim for direct service connection was denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, which he claims is secondary to his sarcoidosis. The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination.