Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate consideration of the Veteran's statements regarding his back symptoms during service and continuing after service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar radiculopathy is denied. The Veteran's tinea versicolor has been granted a 10% rating, and his left leg peripheral neuropathy remains at the 10% level.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder, finding that no new and material evidence was received since the final July 1981 decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is not related to his service-connected knee disabilities and denied both his claim for service connection and his request for an increased rating.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent since May 19, 2008. A separate 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy is granted. The Board also grants a TDIU from August 2009 to February 4, 2015.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on his current symptoms.

The Veteran's back disorder is rated as noncompensable, and Raynaud's syndrome prior to February 23, 2017, is rated at 10 percent. As of February 23, 2017, the rating for Raynaud's syndrome is increased to 40 percent.,The Veteran does not meet criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and testimony from the Veteran, requiring additional medical examination for cervical and lumbar spine disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the evidence supports this determination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is related to service and granted her claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disability, including arthritis, is related to his service and grants the claim.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was rated at 10 percent prior to May 10, 2013 and increased to 20 percent from that date. The radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) associated with the Veteran's low back disability has been rated as 10 percent since July 16, 2012.,The radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) was initially rated at 10 percent and increased to 20 percent effective July 16, 2012.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a current lumbar spine disability, including scoliosis, spondylosis, degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathy, which is related to his period of service. The other diagnosed lumbar spine disabilities are not shown to be related to his service.

The Veteran's claims were denied across multiple issues, including service connection for various conditions and ratings for existing disabilities. The appeals are not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and lumbar spine disability have been granted increased ratings, with the highest available rating for pes planus since April 18, 2016. Separate ratings were assigned for neurological manifestations of the lower extremities (right and left), and a separate rating was also assigned for neurogenic bladder.

The Veteran's lumbar back condition is related to active service, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for service connection. The right knee condition has been remanded due to a lack of medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss, plantar fasciitis, and coronary artery disease status post angioplasty with stent. Service connection was not established for a back disability or for the heart disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's hemorrhoids were not incurred in service and are not otherwise causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service. The claim for an increased rating for his back disability is remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.