Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a completed VA Form 21-8940. The claim for service connection for a back injury is pending, while the TDIU claim remains unresolved.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The case is now remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the medical opinion does not establish a link between any current low back disability and active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee and lumbar spine disabilities did not have their onset during military service or are otherwise related to such service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran is granted service connection for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder. The left ankle disorder issue was not addressed as it does not appear the Veteran has a current disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability. The new evidence received since the February 1971 rating decision relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records related to the Veteran's low back disability. The Veteran is also asked to authorize release of any relevant private medical records.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for the Veteran's back disability, including lumbosacral strain. The preponderance of the evidence does not establish a link between the current condition and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed low back, hip, and neurological disorders. The claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Army Reserve service records. The case will be reviewed again to determine if the Veteran has a right shoulder disability or low back disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's right lumbar radiculopathy was granted a compensable rating for the period from April 6, 2010 to November 17, 2011. The Board also found that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and his temporary total rating for right foot surgery has been extended through May 1, 2011. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine the relationship between his low back disability, bilateral knee/hip/disabilities, and ankle disabilities with his service-connected bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's chronic strain of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative changes of the lumbar vertebrae is rated at 10 percent, and his left knee and right knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent. The rating for the lumbosacral spine remains unchanged from the previous decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a VA Social and Industrial Survey to determine the combined effect of her service-connected disabilities on her ability to perform sedentary type of work.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any claimed conditions, and the evidence does not support service connection for any of her claims.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 10% disability rating for scars of the forehead and chin was denied. The claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including PTSD with depression, were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the increased rating of lumbosacral spine spondylolisthesis is being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records from prior to 2000.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and left hip arthritis status post surgery are not rated higher than the current 20 percent and 10 percent evaluations, respectively.

The Veteran's low back strain, right knee chondromalacia, and post operative residuals of a left knee injury were all evaluated as 10 percent disabling prior to September 21, 2012.,The Veteran failed to report for VA examinations scheduled in relation to his claims on September 21, 2014.