Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and assigned a 10% evaluation effective March 2, 2017. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, a rating in excess of 10 percent for left shoulder rotator cuff injury, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of right knee arthroscopy and chondromalacia patella. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and granted a maximum 50 percent disability rating for migraine headaches. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disorder remains unresolved.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain was granted an increased evaluation to 20 percent effective March 3, 2017.

Service connection for residuals of a right foot injury and residuals of low back injury is granted.,A compensable evaluation (10%) is assigned for basal cell carcinoma of the nose.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and whether gait changes associated with service-connected leg disabilities caused or aggravated his disability.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbar strain with myositis and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected low back disability is granted, with a current evaluation of 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. He was awarded a compensable rating (10%) for bilateral hearing loss.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current back and tailbone conditions are not related to his military service, finding no evidence of causation or aggravation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, neck, and back disabilities are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his back condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, and Parkinson's disease. The claims will be returned to the Board for further adjudication.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for low back disability, and service connection is granted. For headaches, a noncompensable rating remains as there are no characteristic prostrating attacks of migraines averaging one in two months over the last several months.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of low back disability, bilateral knee disability or headaches that were incurred in or aggravated by service.,Service connection for these conditions is denied as there is no evidence of record showing such disabilities during active duty service and no competent medical evidence linking any current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, claimed as lumber spine strain, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and determine the etiology of his current thoracolumbar spine disabilities.