Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the March 2017 remand and has therefore ordered further development to determine if the Veteran's back disability is related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for osteoporosis of the femurs, back disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension. Additional development is needed to address conflicting medical opinions and consider new evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, including DDD/DJD of the thoracolumbar spine with radiculopathy, finding that there is no nexus between his current disability and his active service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, shin splints, bilateral knee disorders, and residuals of heat exhaustion. The claims were all denied as the evidence did not show an in-service incurrence or a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.

The Veteran's hypertension and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis are granted service connection. The Veteran's TBI, headaches, left knee disorder, and cervical spine disorder are denied.,Service connection is granted for hypertension and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis. Service connection is denied for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), headaches, a left knee disorder, and a cervical spine disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are inextricably intertwined with his claims for workers' compensation and must be remanded to obtain relevant records. Additionally, he needs medical examinations or opinions regarding his lumbar spine disability, left hip and shoulder disabilities, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new examination to determine the severity of his service-connected back and right knee disorders, as well as to obtain all relevant VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, hypertension, skin disorder, bilateral hand numbness, and memory loss. The claim for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's mitral valve prolapse with palpitations has been granted an initial 10 percent rating. The issues of service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD due to military sexual trauma have been remanded.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for back disability. However, the claims of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder disability and an evaluation in excess of 20 percent are remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The appeal for headaches, left knee condition and low back condition is dismissed. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for low back, neck, and right knee disabilities as they are not related to the Veteran's in-service automobile accident or his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis. The cervical spine disability is currently rated at 30 percent.,The Veteran’s left upper extremity disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's low back disorder is related to service and granted.,Bilateral hearing loss was not found during the appeal period.

The Veteran's low back disorder, left foot disorders, and varicose veins of the legs are all granted service connection. The right index finger disorder is remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her spine condition, as it requires further evidence and clarification due to incomplete range of motion testing.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease with L5-S1 spondylolisthesis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The Board found that the submitted evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right knee and back disabilities due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's back injury during his National Guard service. The appellant needs to provide additional personnel records and VA will seek these documents from relevant sources.