Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, TBI, and psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of VA examinations addressing all relevant theories of entitlement.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Right Shoulder Disability, Cervical Spine Disability, and Lumbar Spine Disability due to inadequate examination in the previous decisions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are inextricably intertwined and must be remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The issues include back disorders, cervical spine disability, psychiatric conditions, right knee disability, GERD, radiculopathy, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder and lumbar spine disorder were denied. The claim for higher rating of bipolar I disorder prior to April 6, 2015 was granted with a rating of 70 percent. The Veteran's claim for TDIU from April 6, 2015 was also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck condition, PTSD, head injury (TBI), and depressive disorder is granted.,Service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease is granted. Service connection for PTSD is granted. Service connection for head injury (TBI) is remanded due to lack of an adequate VA examination. Service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease, is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for generalized anxiety disorder with depressive disorder is denied. The Veteran's current rating of 70% remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for right knee disorder, upper-gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, hypertension, sleep apnea, and others. The TDIU claim is also being considered as a component of these increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU due to service-connected lumbar spine strain. The remand requires clarification on whether the Veteran has had radiculopathy associated with his lumbar spine condition at any time during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for lumbar strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral pes planus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions or examinations.,The Veteran's claim for right lower extremity radiculopathy is also being remanded as it may be related to his service-connected lumbar strain and knee disorder.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral pes planus is being remanded because there is insufficient evidence regarding whether the condition was aggravated by service.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension is being remanded due to a lack of medical opinion on its etiology, as it may be related to his bladder disorder and sleep disorder.,The Veteran's claim for liver disorder is being remanded as it may be secondary to his bladder disorder.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction (ED) is being remanded because it may be caused by his hypertension or lumbar strain.,The Veteran's claim for kidney disorder is being remanded due to its potential relation to his hypertension and bladder disorder.,The Veteran's claim for bladder disorder is being remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding whether the condition was related to service or secondary to a bladder disorder.,The Veteran's claim for sleep disorder is being remanded because it may be related to his bladder disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his service, specifically his time in military vehicles.

An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right knee disability was denied.,The application to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for sinus disorder, headaches secondary to a sinus disorder, and low back disorder due to potential issues with medical records and lack of progression documentation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any claimed conditions and therefore denied service connection for all issues. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral shoulder impingement, chondromalacia patella, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating greater than 20 percent for his lumbosacral spine disability, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase in rating.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for low back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions were caused by or incurred during active duty.,Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss disability, lower back condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, bilateral plantar fasciitis, spleen condition, and thyroid condition due to lack of evidence linking the disabilities to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a medical opinion addressing all reasonably-raised theories of entitlement and expressing adequate rationale.

The Board has remanded the issue of TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to the Veteran's service-connected back disability preventing him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as adjustment-like disorder, is granted. The cases for left hip, left knee, right knee, low back, nerve disability of the bilateral lower extremities (secondary to a low back disability), and both hands disabilities are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, ischemic heart disease, and various musculoskeletal disabilities. The case is remanded to provide the Veteran with VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.