Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, heart disorder (including CAD and residuals of myocardial infarction), and lumbar spine disorder due to potential issues with the examination opinions provided. The Veteran's PTSD is already service connected.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and his left upper extremity radiculopathy remains rated as 20 percent. Both conditions are currently evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and major depressive disorder. The decision found that his current disabilities are not related to service, with no evidence of in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent from June 4, 2008 to November 18, 2014. The appeal is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating during this period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right shoulder strain and lumbar strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development of her medical records and examinations.

The Board has found that the evidence is in equipoise concerning the Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disability and therefore has granted the claim. The case is now remanded to determine if any of his remaining claimed disabilities are secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hip osteoarthritis and PTSD, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board grants a TDIU effective October 1, 2013.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, right lower extremity, associated with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent from March 6, 2017. The Veteran's TDIU claim remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability is rated at 20 percent, and she has been granted TDIU effective July 19, 2011. The case was remanded for additional development regarding the rating of her back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed lumbar spine spondylosis with degenerative joint disease began in service and has persisted since then, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and bilateral leg disabilities did not manifest within one year of separation from active service, are not otherwise etiologically related to his service, and were not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and numbness of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine degenerative disc disease is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his service-connected back disability, as well as the current symptomatology and compensable evaluations for his service-connected abscesses.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain his complete service personnel file, verify any heavy metal exposure during service, and provide an opinion on the likelihood of current disabilities being related to in-service duties.