Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability, finding that there is no competent evidence linking the lumbar spine disability to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition, hypertension, and jungle rot have been denied.,Service connection for PTSD has been granted but the Veteran is seeking an increased rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, cervical neck disability, bilateral cataract disability, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizoaffective disorder, depressed type. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection of a back disorder was granted. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s back disorder developed as a result of an in-service fall, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and a bilateral lower extremity neurological disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began in service due to multiple back injuries documented in his STRs.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disorder is denied. The Veteran's claims for throat, shoulder disability, GERD, and right shoulder scars are all denied. The Veteran’s claims for sinusitis and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Board has remanded five issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a right shoulder disability, bilateral hand disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and mild scoliosis of the thoracolumbar spine. The reasons include the need for additional VA examinations and potentially relevant treatment records.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disorder was rated at 10 percent prior to February 27, 2017. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board has granted service connection for spondylosis lumbar spine with postoperative left foot drop. The issue of secondary service connection for the left foot drop is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no evidence of a link between his claimed conditions and service, or that they began in service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and his right lower extremity radiculopathy and femoral radiculopathy are each rated at 20 percent. The depression rating remains at 70 percent.

The Veteran's back disability is found to have started during his active duty service in 2011, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, lumbar spine, hip, knee, ankle, shoulder and arm, elbow, wrist, and psychiatric conditions. The issues have been recharacterized to reflect the benefit sought by the Veteran on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed back, neck, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to lack of in-service incurrence or aggravation and no nexus between current disability and service.

The Veteran's right foot disability and lumbar spine disability were denied increased ratings. The Veteran was granted a TDIU from March 3, 2015 to May 26, 2016.

The Veteran's hypertension and hypothyroidism were not shown to be related to service, and the effective dates for tinnitus and degenerative disc disease, L4-L5, L5-S1, are denied.,Service connection for tinnitus and degenerative disc disease, L4-L5, L5-S1, is granted with an effective date of September 15, 2014. However, the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates remain pending.

The Veteran's initial compensable and increased ratings for his service-connected low back disability are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD, low back disability, and foot disability.

The Board has instructed the RO to obtain a supplemental medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of VA examinations and insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations for his claimed conditions.