Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability or a neurological disability of the lower extremities, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found no current service-connected disabilities for the Veteran's claimed back and neck conditions. The pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 40 percent, effective December 6, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, low back, and bilateral hip disabilities are being returned to the VA examiner for additional development as they were not fully addressed in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including new orthopedic and neurologic examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's low back disability. The TDIU issue is also raised.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity sciatica were denied. The effective date was not established as the issues are related to the current disability status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee, cervical spine, and lumbosacral spine disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to address the nature and severity of his low back disability and bilateral knee disabilities. The TDIU claim prior to August 27, 2013 remains on hold.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to the VA Director of Compensation Service for adjudication of a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b). The Veteran is notified that failure to complete and return the requested TDIU claim form will result in abandonment of the claim per 38 C.F.R. § 3.158.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's upper back and left knee disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has been rated at 20 percent disabling, but the evidence does not support a higher rating due to functional loss or ankylosis.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was denied. The current evaluation is 40 percent disabling, effective April 11, 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical degenerative disc disease is related to his military service and grants entitlement to service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD is currently rated at 20 percent, and his right knee DJD is currently rated at 10 percent. A separate 10 percent rating for right knee DJD based on limitation of extension was granted from November 12, 2014 to April 15, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for chronic low back strain with degenerative joint disease was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is not eligible for VA outpatient dental treatment due to his TDIU status.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at the highest possible evaluation of 40 percent, while her stomach disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected right foot disability, effective May 19, 2015. The Veteran was previously rated at 10 percent prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is related to her service-connected right knee realignment with patellofemoral pain, and thus grants service connection for chronic lumbosacral spine strain with degenerative changes and left sided radiculopathy as secondary to her service-connected right knee disability.