Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability. The Veteran's history of lumbar spine disability is now considered, as evidenced by recent medical diagnoses.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, cervical spine and bilateral knee conditions are being remanded due to inadequate opinions from the VA examiners. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including acquired psychiatric disorder, acid reflux, bilateral knee condition, tinnitus, left ear hearing loss disability, DJD of the lumbar spine, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities have been granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and conducting medical examinations to address the issues on appeal.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including diabetes, retinopathy, hypertension, and a back disorder. The appeal will be remanded to determine if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during service and to obtain additional medical records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left leg circulatory disability and a lumbar spine disability. The claim for PTSD is pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on several service-connected disabilities and for service connection for additional conditions has been withdrawn. The Veteran's daughter, M.E.W., is recognized as the 'helpless child' of the Veteran for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease was incurred in service and granted service connection. The other issues on appeal are pending further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected lumbar spine disability. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant SSA records, providing a VA examination for his back condition, and scheduling a VA examination for his left ankle degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the retrieval of relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease L5-S1 with small herniated nucleus pulposus is currently rated at 40 percent, effective October 1, 2007. The evidence shows that the disability has not improved and actually warrants a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and examination, including obtaining private treatment records and a VA pension examination to determine if the Veteran is unemployable due to nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, sciatic radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, intervertebral disc syndrome (claimed as low back condition), scars, degenerative joint disease of both knees, degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral nasal pinquecula with dry eyes, hernia, ear pain, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities alone are at least in equipoise as to whether he is unable to obtain or maintain such employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left eye ptosis and a low back disability, finding no current diagnosis of either condition. The claim for service connection for arthritis in the low back was granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a low back disability was dismissed due to his failure to provide necessary releases for pertinent records, resulting in the abandonment of his claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 15, 2015.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back condition is not related to service or his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denied service connection for a low back disorder. The hearing loss claim was granted as it met the criteria for in-service noise exposure resulting in a current disability.