Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated as 60 percent since March 9, 1998.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination, and further development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address her lumbar spine disability and bronchial asthma with BOOP.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient explanation of why a medical examination was unnecessary.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration due to an inadequate VA medical opinion in a previous decision.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, mood disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection based on inservice sexual assault.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) beginning October 20, 2014 is denied as there are no allegations or evidence of unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the severity of her right foot and ankle disabilities. The case will also be reviewed to determine if she meets the threshold criteria for a TDIU or if it should be submitted to the Director of Compensation Service under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(b).

The Board has reopened and granted the service connection claims for low back disability, residuals of head trauma, and seizure disorder. The Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing VA examinations and unobtained SSA records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability has been reopened and granted. The RO also increased the rating for left foot drop.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40% due to severe forward flexion limited to 35 degrees with pain and objective evidence of pain, without ankylosis. The left great toe disability has been rated as moderate foot injury throughout the rating period.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted service connection for hematuria and a left ankle disability, finding that the current disabilities are related to service. The low back disability claim is remanded as an adequate opinion was not provided.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA spine examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, low back disability, and skin disability were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA and SSA records, conducting examinations, and reviewing the medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development as the evidence of record does not contain sufficient competent medical evidence to decide the claims, and more recent VA medical records suggest that his disorders may have worsened since a previous examination.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 10 percent for orthopedic manifestations and a separate 10 percent rating is granted for radiculopathy of each lower extremity as neurological manifestations. The current effective date is not specified.