Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Board found that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder did not become manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not shown to be etiologically related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or caused by service.,Prior to June 17, 2014, the Veteran's right leg deep vein thrombosis has been characterized by persistent edema and stasis pigmentation without ulceration. On and after June 17, 2014, the disability is characterized by moderate varicosities and minimal hyperpigmentation.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart murmur and the residuals of an in-service fracture of the L-1 transverse process. The Veteran's heart murmur was present before his military service, and there is no evidence that it increased in severity during service. For the lower back disability, while the Veteran sustained injuries to his back during service, there is no indication that these injuries resulted in current residuals.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disability, including as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and sciatic nerve paralysis disabilities, is being remanded for additional development.

Your claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder has been resolved in your favor and granted effective March 23, 2010. As such, the issue is no longer in dispute.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the Veteran's right ankle disability. The claim for TDIU is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting statements in the examiner's report regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current back disability and her service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a lumbar spine disability, which he claims is related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The Board has remanded the case for additional development and an addendum opinion regarding whether the pes planus aggravates the lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service and insufficient medical evidence linking his current disabilities to an in-service injury.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of headaches as moot due to a grant of service connection for traumatic brain injury. The claims for hearing loss and low back disorder with bilateral sciatica were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or the first post-service year.

The Board has remanded the case for additional evidentiary development and to schedule a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of jurisdiction as his claims have been granted in full by an August 2015 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and Social Security Administration disability records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability will be reconsidered after these steps.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability was reopened and granted, but the issue of hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus remains denied.,Service connection has been established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The low back disability is considered direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and determine their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for hypertension, lumbosacral strain, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee osteoarthritis. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 40 percent for hypertension prior to September 26, 2008 or for a rating higher than 10 percent for either knee disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension has been rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that this rating is not in excess of what is warranted based on his medical evidence. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was also evaluated but no higher rating could be granted under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's cervical spondylosis with degenerative disc disease is rated at 30 percent, and his radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities are each rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back pain have been denied. The claim for PTSD has not yet been addressed due to the need for new evidence.