Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to make reasonable efforts to obtain private medical records from Dr. D.M. of Winston Salem, North Carolina.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent disabling from September 23, 2014. The left lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is etiologically related to his active duty military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not combine to preclude substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds TDIU is not warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability was not shown to meet the criteria for a rating greater than 20 percent prior to May 9, 2011.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back condition is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing due to the Veteran's unavailability, and the case will be returned to the AOJ after the hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his level of education and work history.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck disability, back disability, and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The VA Board of Veterans' Appeals found that the Veteran's current low back disabilities are less likely than not caused by his service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records review, particularly regarding his back and leg disorders as well as his psychiatric disorder.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete review of the evidence, including service treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability did not arise during service and is not etiologically related to any incident of military service. The claim for vision problems was also denied as there was no evidence linking it to head trauma.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss disability of the right ear and an initial compensable rating for hearing loss disability of the left ear, have been denied. The Veteran has not presented evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability for the back or right ankle, and thus service connection cannot be granted. The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and left ankle disabilities are remanded to obtain additional medical opinion regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to potential worsening of his back disability and the need for updated treatment records. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional examinations and compliance with recent legal developments in rating cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for tinnitus and chronic lumbar syndrome, status post lumbar discectomy were granted. The rating for the back disability was increased to 20 percent.

The Board has been notified of the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal and, therefore, the appeal is dismissed.