Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's post-operative residuals of a hysterectomy, including as secondary to her service-connected uterine fibroids. The decision also grants service connection for heart disability and skin disability, both considered secondary to pre-existing conditions.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinions were inadequate and remanded for further development. The Veteran's claims of service connection for right hip disability, pelvic fracture residuals, and low back disability are now pending.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current back condition is not related to his military service due to lack of evidence of continuity of symptomatology and normal findings at separation.

The Board denied all claims for increased ratings or service connection, finding that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for any of the issues presented.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, TDIU, and nonservice-connected pension due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess his right ankle disability with arthritis, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied because no new and material evidence was submitted to show the condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability requires the need for regular aid and attendance of another, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) at the A&A rate.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is granted due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to reopen her claim, but further examination or opinion is needed to determine if her current condition is related to active service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for low back pain, upper back pain, and chronic pelvic pain was granted. The claim for left ankle sprain is denied.,New evidence related to the unestablished fact of a current disability for low back pain, upper back pain, and chronic pelvic pain has been submitted.

Service connection for a low back condition is granted.,Service connection for hypertension and ischemic heart disease is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for back disorder, left ankle disorder, tinnitus, sinusitis, rhinitis, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), to include facial drooping and right eye disorder due to potential inadequacy of the VA examination reports.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence received after a previous denial, and an examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current back disability is related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and medical opinions regarding her claimed disabilities, as well as clarification on periods of service exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims were dismissed. The claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted service connection, but his lumbar spine disability remains at 20% despite some functional limitations.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a back disability and a compensable initial rating for tension headaches due to potential outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for a recurrent lumbosacral spine disorder, recurrent hypertension, and prostate condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, degenerative arthritis of the knees, hypertension, obesity, IVDS with secondary obesity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The Board has granted a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability prior to September 14, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence from a recent VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of various lower and upper extremity disorders, as well as a left shoulder disorder, to allow for additional development. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder is found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service.