Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Veteran withdrew from appeal the claims for service connection for COPD and chronic bronchitis during a Board hearing.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature of any service-connected disabilities and whether they are related to service. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and a back disability will be remanded for additional development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and finds that his acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, is related to service. The decision grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denies hypertension, kidney stones, low back disability, and cysts on the neck and ears.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation, and the diseases are not presumed to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated and rated appropriately based on the criteria provided in the Rating Schedule.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection reopening, and TDIU were denied. The claim to reopen the bilateral hip disability was also denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claims regarding service connection for various conditions, including ischemic heart disease, mitral valve replacement, atrial fibrillation, thyroid goiter, and hypertension. The initial rating for hypertension was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including updated employment and educational history, VA treatment records, and a comprehensive examination to determine the severity of her service-connected disabilities and their impact on her employability.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a lumbosacral injury with residual L5-S1 nerve root compression and granted service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's low back disability is found to be related to his in-service fall, and he is now entitled to service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected lumbar spine DDD prior to May 2, 2014, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disorders are not related to her service or any service-connected disability, and thus denied all of her claims.

The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including securing updated VA treatment records and arranging a new examination for service connection of residuals of concussion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the likelihood of aggravation of his pre-existing left hip disability during service and for any necessary secondary service connection determinations.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, even considering flare-ups, has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 15, 2011 and 20 percent from that date. The Board found no evidence supporting higher ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, along with associated radiculopathy, rendered him unemployable prior to September 25, 2012. The Board has determined that the claim should be referred for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA spine examination and opinion to address service connection claims, including those related to radiculopathy of the lower extremities. The case will be returned to the Board after further adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability is so severe that it precludes him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was evaluated at various initial ratings, but the Board found that none of these ratings met his claim for increased evaluations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, gallbladder condition, intestinal polyps (related to GERD), and endometriosis as there was no evidence of chronic disabilities at any time during the appeal period.