Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back condition, finding that the evidence did not support a link between his current disability and an in-service injury or event.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disc herniation and spur formation at L4-5 and L5-S1, finding that the most probative evidence showed forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for back disability, right knee disability, and migraine headaches due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's complete STRs need to be obtained from all possible repositories.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for back, bilateral hips, and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions. The claims for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension are also remanded as there is inadequate VA examination reports.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his left hip, low back strain, and left ankle disabilities. The Board found that these conditions existed prior to service and were not aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of penile deformity, which is required for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7522. The Veteran’s low back disorder claim is remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding its relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease with herniated disc, L4-5 and L5-S1, has been evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The VA examiner found no evidence of limitation of motion or other functional loss that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination and obtaining missing medical records.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The back disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for headaches is granted, and the cases of lumbosacral sprain, TBI, and PTSD are remanded due to worsening conditions.

The Board denied service connection for low back and neck disabilities, finding that current conditions are not related to military service.,There was no evidence of chronic disability during service or within one year post-service discharge.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient information regarding flare-ups during the October 2015 examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's low back disability and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected chronic low back strain, as previous examinations did not meet the requirements set by the Court in Correia v. McDonald and Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board has granted the petitions to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle condition, a bilateral leg condition, and a low back condition. The appeals are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition, a right knee condition, and a degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's claims were previously remanded by the Board in October 2016.

The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted a rating of 40 percent, but no higher. The lumbar spine disability remains at 20 percent.

The Board granted service connection for psoriasis and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spine myositis. The Veteran's current diagnoses are psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and chronic strain of the lumbar spine.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and remanded the issues of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine condition, left hand condition, acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and residuals of cold injury of the right foot.