Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to inconsistencies in the medical evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted effective December 4, 2003. The Board also granted an initial rating of 70 percent disabling for PTSD as of December 4, 2003. The Veteran is in receipt of a total rating based on his PTSD alone, as well as additional service-connected disabilities ratable at least 60 percent, separate and distinct from PTSD and involving different anatomical segments or bodily systems.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a low back disability and granted it, finding new and material evidence to support the reopening.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating or additional service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition and determined that there is at least an equipoise of evidence in favor of the Veteran's claim, finding that his lumbar DDD is related to military service. The claim is therefore granted.

The Veteran's low back strain has been manifested by thoracolumbar forward flexion greater than 60 degrees, without evidence of neurologic deficit or radiologic confirmation of degenerative changes. The criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent are not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not etiologically related to service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records review.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his low back disability with radiculopathy was not perfected, and the effective date for the assignment of a 60 percent rating is July 11, 2014.

The Board has determined that none of the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused or contributed substantially to his death from an acute intracerebral hemorrhage due to deep vein thrombosis. The appeal is denied.

The Board has decided that the evidence is insufficient to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his active duty service and has ordered additional development.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including hypertension, a deviated nasal septum, meralgia paresthetica, and posttraumatic migraine headaches. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate these claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and the claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a low back condition is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the claims for service connection for low back disability, left lower extremity neurological disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent prior to May 6, 2014. The Board has granted a higher rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's back disability.

The Board is remanding the case for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine and lower extremity disabilities prior to August 8, 2012.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disorders are etiologically related to his military service, and grants service connection for degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with a pars defect at L5-S1.

The Board has denied service connection for a back condition. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and there are no issues regarding service connection for this condition.,For radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (femoral nerve), the Veteran has been granted a 20 percent rating since January 6, 2015. The issue here is whether he should receive an increased rating from March 18, 2014 to January 6, 2015.,Regarding radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve), the Veteran has been granted a 10 percent rating since March 18, 2014. The issue here is whether he should receive an increased rating from that date to January 6, 2015.

The Veteran's increased disability rating for the orthopedic manifestations of his service-connected low back disability is granted, effective July 8, 2013.