Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Veteran has withdrawn all of the issues on appeal, including service connection, rating, and TDIU issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been granted, with a disability rating of 20 percent for arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and increased ratings denied for traumatic arthritis of the right knee and total left knee replacement.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to service-connected lumbosacral strain, finding that a rating in excess of 40 percent was not warranted.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be fully adjudicated.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and compliance with recent court decisions.

The Veteran's service-connected diarrhea has been rated at a noncompensable level since the grant of service connection. The Board has determined that the evidence supports a finding of moderate irritable colon syndrome, warranting a 10% rating.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability effective February 11, 2004. The appeal is now remanded to further develop and consider additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability and neurological impairment of the right lower extremity due to inextricably intertwined issues. The case is now being returned for further development, including obtaining Reserve Component service treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for compliance with a Court order, specifically to obtain treatment records from Dr. Paszkowiak regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a new examination and consideration of the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral leg and back disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during active service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition within one year post-service. The VA examinations concluded that these conditions are more likely due to multiple work-related injuries and surgeries after separation.

The Veteran's lower back disability is service-connected and has persisted since service.,New evidence received supports reopening the claim for left knee disability, which was previously denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and spine and right knee disabilities, but severed service connection for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The effective date for the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, and limitation of flexion in the right knee is set at April 27, 2012.

The Veteran's low back disability is manifested by at worst full passive range of motion without objective evidence of pain, and on active range of motion testing, limitation to 50 degrees of forward flexion without objective evidence of pain. The criteria for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent have not been met.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder claimed as left knee cysts, but granted service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) L4-S1.,The Veteran's DDD L4-S1 was related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder was directly incurred in service and grants service connection for post-operative lumbar residuals, to include degenerative disk disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and scars.

The Veteran's low back disability is service-connected, and his meralgia paresthetica of the right lower extremity has been rated noncompensable. The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to support a finding that both conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private and VA treatment records, verifying in-service stressors, and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, bilateral tinnitus, and back disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, effectively dismissing the case.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and renal cell carcinoma, as well as secondary service connection for lytic lesions of the cervical spine, left hip, lumbar spine, right shoulder, and skull. The Veteran's claims were based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.