Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected.,Service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, left knee, low back disorder, right hip disorder, and left hip disorder are granted as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right foot bunionectomy.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent from May 18, 2010, to February 10, 2016, and 20 percent since then.,Separate ratings of 10 percent are assigned for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from May 18, 2010, to February 10, 2016.

The Board found that the Veteran's current disabilities of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, thoracolumbar strain, cervical spine disability, and right leg sciatica are not related to his military service. The evidence did not establish a direct link between these conditions and his active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating of 40 percent for back disability, including radiculopathy, was granted with a current effective date of March 11, 2010. Effective dates were also established for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and tinnitus on the same day.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to clarify the Veteran's periods of active duty, inactive duty for training, and service treatment records. The Veteran also needs a VA examination regarding his claimed back disability and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal regarding the increased evaluations for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has determined that his claim for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and records, as well as for further development of the claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's reports of worsening service-connected conditions. The issues on appeal include a claim for an increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain, a request for a compensable evaluation for right ankle sprain, and a TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and major depressive disorder render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia patella of the right knee with degenerative changes, arthritis of the right ankle, and DDD of the lumbar spine with collapsed discs. The Veteran's claims for other disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability and entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability. The Board has no further jurisdiction over these matters.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection is granted for back disability, but denied for thyroid cancer, acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability.

The Veteran's low back disability is found to be related to an in-service injury, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VA examination reports and need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's low back disability, bilateral hand disability, and right shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death is related to his service-connected disabilities, specifically the morphine prescribed for his service-connected left knee disability. As a result, the Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for headaches and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,For the TDIU claim, the Veteran was already considered totally disabled due to a separate disability (PTSD), so this issue has also been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's neck, back, right knee and left knee disabilities did not have a direct relationship to his military service. The VA examiners could not establish chronicity of these conditions from service.