Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further development. The Veteran's lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, skin disorder, and memory loss are all being reviewed for their etiology in relation to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for varicose veins, hypertension, and transient ischemic attacks have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for a thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims of increased rating for his lumbar spine disability and earlier effective date for left sciatic nerve radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a low back disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's back disability, claimed as scoliosis, is granted service connection.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension are also granted. The Veteran's alcohol dependence disorder is also granted service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DJD and plantar fasciitis are being remanded for an addendum opinion to determine if they were aggravated by her service-connected right femoral neck fracture.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbar spine tendonitis and PTSD, as well as the claim for a TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate examinations in April 2015 and May 2015. The Board requires new VA examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar strain, right great toe laceration and crush injury, depression, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The GERD claim is remanded as the VA examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not related to in-service symptoms.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and IVDS is rated at 10 percent prior to July 9, 2018, and at 40 percent from July 9, 2018. The rating of 40 percent is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of various conditions due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The effective date for service connection remains August 12, 2004.

The Board has not jurisdiction over the issues of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and left ankle condition. The case is referred to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disorder to include COPD, asthma and pneumonia, thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are denied. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding medical records not being obtained. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization forms for any private treatment records from Lakeland Regional Medical Center and Winter Haven Hospital.

The Board has found that additional development is necessary for the claims on appeal regarding a lumbar spine disability, left hip disability, and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran's service treatment records show he was treated for strained back muscles in January 1973. However, his subsequent complaints of low back pain since service are not addressed by the VA examiners' opinions. For the left hip disability and ED claims, the Board found that further information is needed regarding the medications the Veteran takes for his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the claim for right knee arthritis but granted service connection for left knee strain and thoracolumbar strain as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia was denied as it is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.,Service connection for a back disability, hypertension, gout, bilateral foot disabilities, bilateral eye disabilities, heart disabilities, sleep apnea, skin disabilities, and mental health disabilities were all denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for left eye blindness has been granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lower back and left eye blindness due to outstanding records and further medical examination.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is reopened and remanded. The claim for service connection for low back disability is denied.

The Veteran's thoracic and lumbar spine conditions are remanded for additional examinations to address the severity of his disability, including range of motion and flare-ups.