Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has denied a higher disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of left-wrist, cervical-spine, low-back, and left-knee disorders due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has not yet made a decision on the claims and is returning them for further development due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for right lumbar myositis (low back condition), a left knee condition, obstructive sleep apnea, scars of the right flank, migraine headaches, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, nasal pterygium right eye with bilateral borderline intraocular pressure, diabetes mellitus, type II, and insomnia disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no current disability related to service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including VA treatment records and a VA examination for his coronary artery disease. The claim will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for lower back disorder, left knee disorder, and left hand numbness due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records from his in-service treatment and a VA examination is required.

The Board denied service connection for left ring finger disability and remanded the issue of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine.

The Veteran's right hip bursitis is granted as service-connected.,A 10 percent rating for thoracolumbar spondylosis is granted.,A 10 percent rating for hypertension is granted.

This decision grants a 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's status post ruptured bladder, effective September 12, 2013. The Veteran also receives a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated as 100 percent disabling since January 2018.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection of a low back disability. However, the claim is remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions to determine if the current condition is related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left shoulder, low back, bilateral hip, and right ankle disabilities. The rating for post-concussion syndrome with cognitive disorder and adjustment disorder, with anxiety and insomnia is also being remanded for a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination to determine if the Veteran's current back disability is related to service.

The Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis was not service-connected, and his lumbar spine disability received a 40% rating beginning January 29, 2018. The initial increased ratings for the lower extremity radiculopathy were denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral spine strain and posttraumatic stress disorder due to incomplete VA examination records and lack of Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, left foot disability, HTN, diabetes mellitus, and PTSD due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is not service connected as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's right elbow, cervical spondylosis with left radiculopathy, lumbar spondylosis L4-L5, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, and CTS are not service connected as they are not related to his service-connected right knee tear of the lateral and medial meniscus.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of a low back condition, finding that the March 1993 and October 2002 rating decisions were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The Veteran's claim was denied as there was no clear error in applying the correct laws and facts to the relevant evidence.

The Veteran's lumbosacral plexopathy and bilateral foot disorder are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability. The case is now remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, a bilateral knee disability, and a back disability.