Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the etiology of the Veteran's left hip and low back disabilities. The issues of service connection remain on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and insufficient opinions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The issues include seeking an increased rating for his right knee disability and service connection for a back disability secondary to his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance was denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities required a prosthetic or orthopedic appliance to be worn or used which tended to wear out his clothing, or that he used medication due to a service-connected disability that caused irreparable damage to his outer garments.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to service or a service-connected condition, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied referral for extraschedular consideration and denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's case is remanded to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition and granted it. The claims for neck and head conditions are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his military service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The effective date of the award of service connection was set at March 14, 1993.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records from before 1978. The claims will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus has been reopened, but the issue of service connection for low back disorder remains denied.,Service connection was granted for PTSD. The issues of service connection for bilateral toe disorders, sleep apnea, right thigh disorder, and erectile dysfunction remain unresolved.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew the issues of entitlement to service connection for atrial fibrillation, subacute peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity, and entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left distal radius fracture, status post reduction, with degenerative changes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of some issues related to his prostate condition and sleep apnea. The decision also includes a determination that he is eligible for special monthly compensation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted. The lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective January 9, 2012. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, and rectal prolapse are all denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal of his claim for a compensable initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right hip disability, and left knee disability is denied as there is no evidence showing that these conditions are related to active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran requires aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination reports and other issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle condition is related to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition. The back condition, however, was not found to be directly related to service.