Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for left knee chondromalacia patella, right knee chondromalacia patella, and chronic mechanical low back pain with sciatica have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal before any decision was made.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disk and joint disease, status post lumbar fusion as the Veteran's current disability is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disorder, neck disorder, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) require additional development due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for back, neck, and bilateral knee disabilities. The claim for reopening of the coronary heart disease was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not received. The appeal is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder, elbow, back, and knee disorders as secondary to his service-connected splenomegaly. The VA examiner concluded that these disorders are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to increased ratings for low back disorder, flat feet, and skin rash due to insufficient evidence in some cases.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability and remanded the issue of an initial increased rating for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of his lumbar spine, left and right knee, right ankle, and right foot disabilities as secondary to his service-connected residuals of fracture of the left ankle with traumatic arthritis due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners.

The Board denied service connection for spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions did not worsen during service.

The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise, granting service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to his motor vehicle accident caused by medications taken for his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, headaches, and prostate disorder. Service connection is granted for all conditions except prostate disorder due to lack of evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected bilateral pleural plaques. The claims for lumbar spine and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is denied for ratings in excess of 10% prior to July 11, 2016 and 20% afterwards. The Veteran's anxiety disorder is granted with a 30% rating from October 25, 2007 to November 18, 2011 and a 50% rating thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the effective dates for awards of service connection were not granted earlier than specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis, arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete examinations and lack of consideration of relevant medical history.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective June 1, 2009 and DEA benefits effective June 1, 2009. The Board found the Veteran was unemployable due to her service-connected disabilities as of May 31, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is currently employed as a maintenance engineer at St. Francis Medical Center, which does not render him unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his permanent and total disability status. A new examination is needed to assess these conditions.

Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is granted. An initial rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for stress incontinence prior to June 1, 2015, and a rating of 40 percent, but no higher, from June 1, 2015, is warranted.