Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for additional evidentiary development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left foot bunion and finds that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The other issues on appeal are addressed but no rating assigned.

The Veteran seeks a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, but additional development is needed to fully assess the impact of these conditions on his ability to work.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be decided, including a new VA examination to determine if any diagnosed lumbar spine, bilateral knee, or bilateral ankle disabilities are etiologically related to his active duty service and/or caused by his service-connected bilateral foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining VA treatment records from August 2012 forward. The Veteran is seeking an initial compensable rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease with scar is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and finds that his current degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine had its onset in service, including INACDUTRA. The Board also finds that his neck disability had its onset in service, including INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected left wrist and low back disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The evidence received since the June 1996 rating decision is new and material, as it relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate his claims for tinnitus and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam or along the DMZ of Korea, and thus could not be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence linking any claimed conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and therefore, denied his claims for service connection of bilateral eye disability characterized by pain and blurred vision with dizziness, low back pain, and bilateral heel spurs to include arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to address the nature and etiology of his back disability and any residuals from a perforated eardrum, as well as to obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 10 percent prior to December 1, 2009 and at 20 percent from December 1, 2009 to April 12, 2010. From April 12, 2010, the rating remained at 40 percent.,The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to January 11, 2007 and at 40 percent from January 11, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of spondylosis is not etiologically related to service, including as due to his service-connected left thigh myositis ossificans. The claim for service connection for a low back disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a low back disability, and a right arm disability have been denied. The Board found that new evidence was submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but did not find a nexus between his current right arm condition and service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional consideration of the submitted evidence by the RO.

The Board has decided the case needs further development and remands it for a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's back disability is aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability in service and concluded that the Veteran's current back disability is not related to his military service or his service-connected right calf disability.

The Board denied claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes, eczema, fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, back disability, and knee disability. The Veteran's claim for diabetes was reopened due to new evidence submitted after the December 2013 denial.