Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and new evidence is needed for a determination on service connection for an upper back/neck condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or entitlement to higher ratings.

The Board found that the Veteran's current heart, cervical spine, low back, right knee, carotid artery stenosis, and peripheral vascular disease conditions are not related to his service or a service-connected disability. The claims for these conditions were therefore denied.

The Veteran's headaches and cervical spine disability are service-connected, with the headaches being related to her in-service complaints of frequent or severe headaches. The lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, a right knee disability, and degenerative joint disease of the thoracic spine. The conditions are considered to be directly related to active duty service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 was granted a higher disability rating of 40 percent effective March 5, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claims for low back disorder, left knee disorder (secondary to service-connected disabilities), and left hip bursitis. The claim for increased ratings for left ankle sprain and left hip bursitis is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the claimed conditions, including dysphagia, neck disability, back disability, right shoulder disability, sinus disability, hypertension, sleep disturbance, and loss of vision of the right eye, based on presumptive service connection due to active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to his right ankle, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, or bilateral knee conditions that are directly attributable to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for both the right ankle and low back disability claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims will be reconsidered after this development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for recurrent pleurisy, to include scar on lung as a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317 has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease is now rated at 20 percent effective September 29, 2014.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar disorder, including degenerative disc disease, requires additional development due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his back disability and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity have been granted, with a 40 percent rating assigned for the back disability effective February 23, 2011, and a 20 percent rating assigned for the radiculopathy of the left lower extremity effective February 23, 2011. The Veteran's initial ratings have not changed since the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess her lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and left hip disorder.

The Veteran's appeals to reopen claims of service connection for low back, right shoulder, and left knee disabilities have been withdrawn by his representative. The claim seeking an increased rating for PTSD has been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder. The issue of service connection for hypertension will be deferred until these issues are resolved.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various disabilities, including service connection and increased ratings. The case is being remanded to the RO due to issues with the certification of certain claims and the need for additional development.