Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded several issues related to effective dates for service connection and disability ratings. The Veteran must be provided with a Statement of the Case (SOC) on these matters, and if he files a timely substantive appeal, they will be returned to the Board.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining a supplemental medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's back and right hip disabilities are at least as likely as not proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected abnormalities in gait.

The Board has ordered a new examination to assess the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine condition due to additional functional loss during flare-ups and after repetition over time. The case is remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Board has identified several issues that require further examination and evidence, including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, right shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, low back disabilities, CFS, IBS, and migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for various musculoskeletal and headache disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service.

The Board has restored a 40 percent disability rating for spinal stenosis degenerative disc disease and annular tears of the lumbar spine, effective November 1, 2013. The Veteran's claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence supporting the reduction.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include left shoulder, back, bilateral knee, and hearing loss/tinnitus disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back and knee conditions due to conflicting opinions on whether these conditions are related to service-connected flat feet or other factors.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the increased disability ratings for lumbar spine, right hip, and splenectomy disabilities. The claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine was reopened and granted. The evidence showed that his current condition is related to an in-service helicopter accident.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is currently rated at 10 percent from July 1, 2010 through March 16, 2017 and 30 percent since March 17, 2017. The Veteran's hearing loss is not compensable.,The Veteran's lumbar spondyloarthropathy was previously rated at 10 percent from July 1, 2010 through March 16, 2017 and is now remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depressive disorder. The Veteran's current conditions were not related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability and to determine if he should be granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues due to lack of VA treatment records, in-service noise exposure documentation, and other necessary development.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability, cataracts, cardiovascular disability, and prostate gland hypertrophy due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service or radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's service records show he reported trouble sleeping during his military service, and private treatment records indicate he was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 1994. However, no VA examination has been conducted on this issue.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his low back sprain is remanded due to the need to locate and associate a forty-five-page report with the claims file, as well as schedule an examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's knee and leg conditions, as well as his back disorders. The reasons for this are that VA treatment records need to be obtained, a February 2014 VA examination report needs to be associated with the file, and new examinations need to be scheduled.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including those for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, general arthralgia, a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo and dizziness, tinnitus, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The issues are being remanded due to the need for new evidence or further review.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and back disability are granted service connection, but the right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, athlete’s foot, diabetes, right elbow strain, left elbow strain, arthritis throughout the body, hearing loss, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and tinnitus claims remain pending.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted service connection.