Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder did not manifest during service and is not related to a service-connected disability. As such, the claim for service connection for a low back disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbosacral degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records and further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and his TDIU claim are both remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a back disability due to inadequate examination and new opinion is needed. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or since separation from service. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back and neck disabilities were not incurred in service or otherwise related to service. The evidence does not show a chronic disability within one year of separation, nor is there continuity of symptomatology.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, effective March 15, 2010. The Veteran was also awarded separate ratings of 10 percent for his left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to TDIU for further development due to other pending issues, including service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The combined disability rating may be affected by these changes.

The Board found that the Veteran's current upper back, lower back, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or chronic disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to February 19, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease has rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since February 1, 2003.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident were due to his own willful misconduct, and therefore not incurred in the line of duty. As such, service connection for the claimed conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed cervical spine disability and torticollis are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. The claims for these conditions have therefore been denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings for his lumbar spine with radiculopathy disability, service connection for a right shoulder disability, and TDIU prior to January 3, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his plantar wart and service connection for his lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension and back disability have not been found to be related to service.,VA has determined that the Veteran's CAD warrants a 30 percent rating prior to November 7, 2016, and a 60 percent rating thereafter.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back disabilities, including whether they are related to service or any other relevant factors.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to February 2, 2015 and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating from February 2, 2015.