Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for addendum medical opinions and retrieval of Social Security Administration records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral knees and bilateral ankles are related to his military service. The left foot disability is also found to be related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of right and left shoulder bursitis, as well as the compensable rating for hemorrhoids. The remaining issues of service connection for optic neuropathy, COPD, and peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a low back disorder and dismissed his appeal for nonservice-connected pension as moot due to the grant of higher disability ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine strain, left elbow strain, and right elbow strain are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of DDD of the lumbar spine, left shoulder traumatic arthritis, and a cervical spine condition are related to his active duty service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and granted it on the merits. The claim for service connection for hiatal hernia is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to his service, and denied both his claim for service connection for a low back disability and his request for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service treatment records and for a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for left ankle/foot, low back, and bilateral hip disabilities are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is not related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss must be remanded as additional development is needed.

The Board has determined that the appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence for rating the Veteran's thoracic and lumbar spine disability, as well as issues related to his cervical spine disability and TDIU. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of periods of active service prior to November 2007 and a need for additional examinations to determine if current low back, neck, and knee disabilities are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and left shoulder. The Veteran's DJD is found to be at least as likely as not attributable to his active duty military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was granted, but he is still seeking an increased rating.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease have been rated at a 10% disability level since March 19, 2013.

The Veteran's lumbar post laminectomy syndrome is currently rated at 20 percent, which adequately reflects the severity of his disability based on the criteria provided in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The Board found that the current schedular evaluation was adequate to address the average impairment caused by the disability and no referral for extraschedular consideration was required.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's low back disability and increased ratings for radiculopathies of both lower extremities, effective from February 28, 2013. The decision also addressed whether higher ratings were warranted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is not part of the current appeal.,For the period prior to May 17, 2011, the Veteran's chronic lumbar strain was rated as 10% disabling. The Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on the evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain missing VA treatment records and for further development, including arranging for the Veteran to undergo additional examination if appropriate.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed to determine if any service-connected conditions contributed to his cause of death, including exposure to herbicides and use of prescribed medications.