Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a low back disorder has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder and radiculopathy. The VA examiner did not address all relevant facts in this case, nor provide a reasoned medical explanation.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and radiculopathy of the lower extremities, as well as his service connection claim for IBS, was granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the case is being remanded for further development to determine his employability.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar strain and sacroiliitis, as well as fibromyalgia. The decision is based on the Veteran's assertions of continuity of symptoms since her in-service motor vehicle accident (MVA).

The Board found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current low back disorder to his service or a previously service-connected condition, and denied both service connection for a low back disability and TDIU based on his bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's current low back disorder was determined to be due to natural progression of age rather than an in-service injury.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, characterized by pain and limitation of motion, did not meet the criteria for a higher initial evaluation prior to March 28, 2015.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disability being incurred or aggravated during active duty service and concluded that the current condition is unrelated to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his in-service injury and thus denied service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion and need for updated treatment records. The claim will be reconsidered.

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

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed neck and middle back disabilities, finding that they are attributable to injuries sustained during his active duty. The acquired psychiatric disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The issues include reopening and granting service connection for vision changes, lumbar spine disability, neuropathy of upper extremities, arthritis of hands, bilateral knee disability, bilateral calf condition, and memory problems.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling examinations, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of a VA examination addressing his knee and back disabilities, as well as an inadequate medical opinion regarding his low back disability. The case is now being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to service-connected lumbosacral strain was denied as his disability alone did not render him unemployable.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service records, missing VA treatment records, and outstanding worker's compensation determinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities are being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating based on schedular or extraschedular considerations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities are not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cancer of the left parotid gland was previously denied in March 2000. New evidence submitted since that decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,Service connection has been denied for residuals of a left frontoparietal stroke, with carotid artery occlusion and skull defect, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.