Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for a lower back disability, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship between his current condition and an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and researching environmental exposure during his service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and service personnel records. The Veteran will also undergo examinations to determine the current severity of his bilateral knee chondromalacia, nature and etiology of any cardiac disability, right shoulder and cervical/lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability, and the Board finds that his claimed disabilities are not related to military service. The Veteran has also had his claims withdrawn for gastroesophageal reflux disease, sleep disorder, rib injury, and kidney injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypotonic bladder disorder is related to his service-connected degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral spine and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and radiculopathy of the lower extremities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain his SSA disability benefits records, VA medical records, and vocational rehabilitation file. The case will be reviewed after the development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her request for a Travel Board hearing at the Atlanta, Georgia Regional Office.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to ensure that he receives a new VA examination for his service-connected back and knee disabilities, as the previous one did not comply with Correia v. McDonald (2016).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including psoriasis, PTSD, right knee replacement, ankle degeneration, hammertoes, spinal and sacroiliac joint psoriatic arthritis, left knee psoriatic arthritis, and anemia, rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment as of July 2, 2013.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disabilities, including osteoarthritis and spondylosis of the cervical and lumbar spine, are related to his active service. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA treatment records. New examinations are also needed to address the relationship between his claimed disabilities and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his low back condition and an evaluation of his PTSD.

The Board has received notification of the appellant's withdrawal of her appeal regarding service connection for neck, back, and bilateral knee disorders. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from Guam Naval Hospital and requesting an addendum medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's current back disability is at least as likely as not related to service or within a year of service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated as 30 percent disabling from October 30, 2009.,Service connection for sleep apnea and diverticulitis is granted.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent for the period after July 31, 2015. Prior to that date, a rating in excess of 20 percent was granted.