Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were related to military service.,Specifically, there was no medical evidence showing an in-service onset of any of these conditions. The Veteran's STRs showed only one incident of low back pain treated with no further follow-up.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and the Veteran's subjective symptoms do not rise to the level of disability under VA criteria.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Stamford Memorial Hospital on May 9, 2013, are granted as the private hospitalization was for a 'medical emergency' and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral foot disability, heart disability, skin disorder (claimed shaving problems), and allergic rhinitis due to environmental hazard exposure. The Veteran is presumed to have had environmental exposures during his service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% for the period from December 5, 2012 to January 28, 2013, and from April 1, 2013 forward. The initial rating of 10 percent for chronic lumbar strain is granted.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left hip disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), right shoulder disability, low back disability, and cervical spine disability. The remand requires additional examinations to address functional impairment and provide opinions on whether these disabilities are related to active duty service.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and lumbosacral strain have been granted service connection, with the lumbosacral strain receiving a disability rating of 40 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 4, 2012 for the grant of entitlement to service connection for an upper back condition has been denied. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as the earliest date of receipt of a claim was February 4, 2012.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability needs to be reassessed due to increased pain and a sleep problem, as well as flare-ups not addressed in the previous examination. A new VA examination is required.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The RO must schedule a VA examination and obtain an opinion on this issue.

The Board has remanded all issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims for additional development. The dismissal of the claim for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder (also claimed as posttraumatic stress disorder) is due to a full grant of benefits in March 2018.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, hypertension, and acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease) due to lack of current diagnoses in the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic low back pain, right foot bunions, left foot bunions, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and hypertension, prohibited her from securing or following substantially gainful employment since January 2009. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's upper and lower back disabilities, as well as his heart attack and migraines, are currently rated at the lowest possible level (10 percent) due to their limited functional impairment.,His hypothyroidism is not rated higher because it does not cause significant symptoms.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine strain claim is remanded due to inadequate examination. His GERD and carpal tunnel syndrome claims are not addressed as they were not part of the original appeal.

The appeal for service connection of abnormal heart has been dismissed.,Service connection for residuals of a back injury is granted, but the claim remains denied on the merits.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran will need new VA examinations for his back and neck disabilities, and the issue of TDIU is deferred until these issues are resolved.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and headaches. The appeals are based on direct evidence of in-service injury and continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder was denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease. The reopened claims for sleep disturbances and fatigue, short term memory loss, and fatty tumors with actinic keratosis were granted.,Service connection is not established for the claimed conditions as they are either not related to service or have been previously addressed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disability has been reopened. The rating for left knee limitation of flexion is granted at 10 percent since August 11, 2016. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for right knee instability since the same date.