Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury and pain.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to issues with the statement of the case being returned as undeliverable. The Veteran needs to be provided with a new statement of the case and given an opportunity to submit a substantive appeal.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for chronic lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease was granted. The Board found that the evidence supports a relationship between the Veteran's military service, including parachute jumps, and his current back disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine have been granted service connection. The Board has remanded for further examination on neck, hip, knee, and tailbone disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ankle disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for an upper back condition is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for an upper back condition and an initial evaluation higher than 30 percent for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not linked to service or a service-connected disability.,Service connection was also denied for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for spondylosis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for neurologic abnormalities related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied due to the Veteran's failure to report for a necessary VA examination without good cause shown. The case also granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to support the claim.

The Board has denied service connection for neck and upper back disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for service connection of low back strain and major depression should be June 29, 2007. However, both claims are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations.

Your claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board is unable to make a decision on whether your lumbar spine disability, vision disability, and migraine headaches are related to service.,The Board has determined that new evidence received since previous decisions supports reopening of your claims for lumbar spine disability, vision disability, and migraine headaches. However, further development is needed as the current medical records do not provide sufficient information on whether these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is rated at 20% and his left lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 10%. The Board granted a separate rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU was granted effective March 18, 2009.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran was granted a temporary total evaluation for convalescence after his cervical spine surgery, but this has since expired. The Board finds that more than 2 months of convalescence were not required and thus denies the extension of the temporary total rating.

The Board has ordered a new examination for the Veteran's lumbar herniated disc with IVDS and spondylosis, as well as right lower extremity radiculopathy. The previous examinations did not adequately address the Veteran's complaints of flare-ups and their impact on his disability.

The Board denied service connection for low back strain and thoracolumbar (low back) disability, as well as right knee disability. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further examination of his left knee disability and headache disability.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 25, 2012, for the award of Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance is denied. The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 13, 2010, for the award of a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also denied.

The Veteran's cirrhosis of the liver is found to be caused by his service-connected hepatitis C, and thus granted service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar strain was evaluated at a 10% disability rating throughout the appeal period, as it did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of motion or other factors.