Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher initial ratings for right shoulder strain status post arthroscopic repair and cephalgia prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant medical records and a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right hand and low back disorders are not related to his military service, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected left knee disability and low back disability.

The Veteran's right hip disability is related to service and granted. Other claims for service connection, TDIU, and increased ratings are addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of November 9, 2009, for the grant of service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis and disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and needs further evaluation of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The status of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his back condition claim is unknown, as is the status of his short leg syndrome claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is related to her in-service injury and finds service connection for lumbar multilevel degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease with spondylolisthesis and instability in flexion (claimed as low back injury residuals) is warranted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and reopening of previously denied claims were denied. The Board found that new evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen his claim for service connection for a deviated nasal septum.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records, particularly regarding his left leg and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to February 25, 2014 and increased to 40 percent on or after that date. The TDIU claim is granted effective October 7, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his headaches, low back disability, and lower extremity neurological disabilities.

The Board has ordered additional examinations and remanded the case for further development regarding service connection claims, including gastrointestinal disorders, low back disability, and major depressive disorder.

The Board has ordered an exhaustive search for service records the Veteran reported he submitted to a VA examiner in 2007. The case is remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's skin condition and hearing loss have been reopened. The Board has granted a 10% rating for his right ankle scar, but the remaining claims are still pending due to additional development needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, right and left ankle, and bilateral knee disorders are related to his military service. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also found to be related to his in-service parachute jumps.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain relevant VA treatment records and verify his periods of service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was reduced from 80% to 20%, effective July 1, 2012. The claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU is pending.