Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Veteran requested to terminate his appeals for increased ratings and TDIU, effective upon receipt of the withdrawal request in June 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and left knee osteoarthritis began in service and have persisted since then, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records, conduct examinations, and determine the appropriate rating for his service-connected left leg gunshot wound disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to potential service in periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA since November 2012. The back disability claim will be addressed after obtaining all relevant records and scheduling a VA examination. The ovarian cyst claim requires issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to issues with VA examination reports and new claims not yet perfected.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to the Veteran's inability to attend the previously scheduled hearing. The appeal is also remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining vocational rehabilitation and counseling records, private treatment records, and locating a July 2013 rating decision. The case will be returned to the Board after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that steatohepatitis, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a gastrointestinal disorder are not related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic eye disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), COPD, emphysema, a chronic lung disability based on asbestos exposure, residuals of a back injury, IBS, or a psychosis in service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence linking any claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar DDD is service connected and grants this claim. The issue of a temporary total rating for convalescence following L5-S1 fusion surgery remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as he does not have a current hearing disability of sufficient severity to constitute a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current back disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus and his active service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for both hepatitis C and a skin disorder to the RO for additional action due to inadequate assistance at an August 2012 hearing.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development and need for further medical examination.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board finds that disc disease of the lumbosacral spine had its onset in active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA spine examination and readjudication of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to higher disability ratings for degenerative disc disease with strain of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.