Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability and consideration of whether he is entitled to TDIU.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection and special monthly compensation, thus the issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine and associated radiculopathy disabilities, a vocational assessment regarding his employment prospects due to service-connected disabilities, and an aid and attendance examination to determine if he requires regular assistance from another person.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU has been remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of new evidence. The case will be returned to the AOJ for readjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude her from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to December 16, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, foot disorder, knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and breathing disorder are all granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sleep disorder, hearing loss, lumbar spine spondylolisthesis with degenerative disease L5-S1, right ankle post-operative residuals, traumatic arthritis, and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome to allow for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claim for service connection for a left hip disorder, secondary to a lumbar spine disorder, is no longer before the Board as he passed away.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and right knee disabilities, as well as his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar II disorder, depression) and hypertension. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder and lumbar degenerative disc disease are both found to be related to his service-connected disabilities, with the Board granting service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

Service connection is denied for a left elbow disability.,Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disability and post-laminectomy neck disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 4, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to October 6, 2014.

The Board found that the Veteran's back disability warranted a 40% rating from August 28, 2008 to February 10, 2010. However, it denied his claim for TDIU due to service-connected back disability prior to February 10, 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's chronic lumbar spine disability was not incurred or aggravated by service, and denied her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and an updated VA opinion regarding his service connection claims.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current right hip, bilateral knee, and back disabilities are related to active service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right knee disability, and low back disability. The claim for L4-S1 radiculopathy of the left lower extremity with muscle atrophy is granted.