Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder, and the claims for gynecological disorders and right-sided sciatica are remanded for additional development.

The Veteran withdrew his claims of entitlement to ratings in excess of 10 percent for a lumbar spine disability and a left knee disability prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated at 10 percent prior to August 19, 2010 and at 20 percent from August 19, 2010 to August 4, 2015. The right knee strain has been rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and further examination.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a low back disability and granted it on de novo review, finding that the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his in-service episodes of low back pain.,Regarding hepatitis C, the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's low back pain and degenerative disc disease are found to be related to his active duty service in Southwest Asia, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals have been granted a 40% evaluation effective January 30, 2014. The lumbar spine disability claim has been reopened.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease from L3 to S1 was caused by her service-connected bilateral knee and right ankle disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and medical records from the Shreveport VA medical center. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder will be reconsidered after these steps.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a back disability, left leg disability, hiatal hernia, or head injury-related disability.,Service connection was denied as there is no medical evidence linking any current disabilities to active military service.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the right leg and left leg disabilities are each rated at 20 percent. The Board has granted a higher rating for the back disability but denied increased ratings for the right leg and left leg conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a chronic heart disorder/ischemic heart disease, his right and left foot hallux valgus do not meet criteria for separate ratings, his back disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to October 21, 2013, or from July 27, 2014, and his duodenal ulcer did not meet criteria for increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is at least as likely as not related to his service, including an in-service injury and subsequent treatment for a back strain. As such, the claim for service connection for a low back disability is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's back, left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities do not warrant higher initial ratings. The claims for increased ratings of dyssomnia, onychomycosis of the feet, and acne were denied as a matter of law.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right hip, left hip, and lower back disabilities, did not originate in service or until years after service. The Veteran was not exposed to herbicides during his active duty.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability and assigned a 70 percent rating for PTSD. The Veteran's neck, left hip, and bilateral knee disabilities were also found to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, is related to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine from 40 percent to 40 percent, effective July 1, 2015.

The Board's February 2014 decision denying service connection for a right arm/shoulder disorder is dismissed as the Veteran did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for low back syndrome was granted, but the appeal is pending on whether a timely notice of disagreement was filed in connection with the September 2013 decision denying a right ankle disability. The TDIU claim remains unresolved.