Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and residuals of a right foot injury. The claim for a headache disorder is pending.,Service connection was also granted for a chronic bilateral knee disability.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disorder during service and concluded that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active duty service. As such, service connection for a low back disorder was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records and updating the family income calculation.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral eye disorders and a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran did not have current disabilities related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The VA examiner found that the current back disorders are not related to service, while the claim for PTSD was also denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spondylosis and degenerative disc disease were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor can it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disability was denied. The ratings for lumbar spine DDD were not granted in excess of the assigned 10 percent prior to January 16, 2014 and 40 percent from that date. A compensable rating for residuals of right clavicle fracture and bilateral hearing loss was also denied. Prior to January 16, 2014, a TDIU rating was not granted.

The Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is not related to service, as there were no chronic symptoms of degenerative joint disease during or within one year after service. The Board finds that the Veteran did not experience continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are related to his active duty service, with doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a back disability, to include as secondary to his service-connected right knee and left knee disabilities. The Board has decided that additional development is needed due to the need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current back disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right and/or left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's reactive airway disease is rated at 30 percent effective October 25, 2013. His musculoskeletal strain of the lumbosacral spine remains rated at 20 percent. The Veteran's ACL deficiency of the left knee is rated at 10 percent from January 2, 2007 to March 13, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spondylolysis did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, thus denying his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities are not related to his military service. The evidence does not show any chronic conditions in service or within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's low back disability is found to be incurred during service.,The Veteran's facial scar is found to be incurred during service.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 2, 2012 for the assignment of a 20 percent disability rating for a scar of the right knee. The Veteran's claim was not reopened as he did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied low back disability claim.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with additional VA examinations and obtain outstanding medical records. The primary issues are whether any current right ankle disability had its onset in or was caused by active service, including an automobile accident during service, and whether it is at least as likely as not aggravated by a service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disorder was reopened, and he is now entitled to a TDIU based on his service-connected back disability. The Veteran has been unable to work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease status post decompression of L3-L4 and stabilization of L3 to L5 was not found to warrant higher initial evaluations from May 29, 1997 to September 25, 2003 or from September 26, 2003 to November 21, 2013.