Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, effective from September 11, 2011. The claim for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was reopened and denied due to lack of evidence relating current condition to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right leg/knee disability, left knee disability, and low back disability are not service-connected.,There is no evidence of any chronic conditions in service or post-service that would support a grant of service connection for these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate, and thus new opinions are necessary to adjudicate the service connection claims for lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and headache disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for his lumbar spine DDD was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty or are not causally related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, as well as SSA records. The Veteran will be provided a new VA examination to determine if his current psychiatric condition(s) are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is not related to military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left wrist sprain with hyperflexion injury and secondary ulnar nerve damage, as well as his back disorder. These conditions are considered to be directly related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the cause of his fall from bed and its relation to VA care.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and further development of the record. The Veteran's low back disability is presumed to have existed prior to service, but may be aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability was aggravated by his service-connected left hip disability, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of his claim. His right lower extremity radiculopathy is also rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective from the date of the decision. For his left and right lower extremities, radiculopathy, he was granted initial ratings of 10 percent prior to November 15, 2016, and 40 percent since that date.

The Board has remanded the case for compliance with the terms of a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR) and to schedule the Veteran for a video hearing.

The Board has ordered additional examinations and remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete information regarding previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected right Achilles tendonitis does not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture as to warrant the assignment of a higher rating on an extraschedular basis. Prior to December 29, 2011, the manifestations of his service-connected disorders were not sufficiently incapacitating as to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for a total rating by reason of individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider this matter as the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, and associated upper and lower extremity radiculopathy are service-connected.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and neuropsychological disorder) is service-connected.,The Veteran's sleep disorder, fibromyalgia, multiple joint and muscle pain, hemorrhoids, recurrent headaches, cardiovascular disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, respiratory disorder, and left eye injury are not service-connected.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated at 40 percent since February 18, 2015. The Board finds that the earlier effective date of July 31, 2008 for this rating is warranted based on the evidence of record.