Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, rated at 10 percent, is not found to be more severe than what is currently reflected by the rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's NOD was timely filed due to VA mailing the notification letter to an incorrect address, and thus granted her appeal for service connection on some conditions but denied it for others.

The Board has remanded the cases due to non-compliance with previous directives and requests for inpatient records from Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center. The Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are being reviewed.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent since December 20, 2012.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back disability, including whether it is related to service or aggravated by a preexisting condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 1, 2011 for additional dependency benefits was denied as proof of dependents was not submitted within one year of notification.

The appeal for service connection for a right rib disability is dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right shoulder disability, bilateral foot disability, and back disability.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's lumbar disability, finding that it is a separate and distinct condition from his service-connected lumbar strain, and not related to his prior injury.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and chronic yeast infections.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran's current disabilities to her active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current back disability is related to service. The VA examiner will need to review new imaging from January 2016 that shows lumbar degenerative changes.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the lower back, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and degenerative disc disease of the upper back. The preponderance of evidence supports the Veteran's claim that these conditions first manifested during his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service or any other valid theory of entitlement.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for lumbar spine disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active duty service.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for service connection for degenerative disc/bone disease, spinal stenosis, cervical spine disability, and COPD/emphysema due to lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of bladder cancer was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, right shoulder disability, and hypertension.,There is no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions that can be linked to service.

The Veteran's neck condition, back condition, left leg pain, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and vertigo with ear pain are all remanded for further development.,The Board is seeking additional medical opinions to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities, as well as bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to incomplete medical opinions and conflicting evidence. The Veteran's low back and right hip disabilities are being reviewed again for proper service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The issue of whether her current back condition is related to service remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability and a low back disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran will need to provide information about private treatment records, undergo VA examinations, and have his claims readjudicated.