Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder has been reopened and granted. The appeal for increased ratings for cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia, right shoulder rotator cuff impingement syndrome, and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for arthritis, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and back disorder due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a back disorder and respiratory disorder due to in-service exposure, as new evidence was received. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current conditions based on in-service injuries.

The Veteran's low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea are granted. Headaches have been denied as not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of a head injury with headaches, including associated symptoms such as blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, and sensitivity to light, is granted. The claim for service connection for the lumbar spine disorder is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for back disorder, left knee disability, and right knee disability as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's hypertension, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability are not service-connected as they did not manifest to a compensable degree within the one-year presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology is not established.,Service connection for a pulmonary/respiratory disability was denied due to lack of evidence linking it to in-service exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and traumatic brain injury are directly related to his active service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current back conditions and her military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including TBI, back disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy, and neuropathy. The decision is pending further development of the Veteran's service treatment records.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and his right ankle strain with ossification and left ankle strain and sprain are each rated at 20 percent. The appeal for increased ratings is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for post bilateral photorefractive keratectomy and PTSD with depressive disorder is remanded. The appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine was granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, right knee arthritis, degenerative arthritis and spondylosis of the lumbar spine, tension headaches, left knee condition, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The evidence did not establish a current disability or link to service.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20 percent from January 31, 2011 to August 9, 2016. From October 1, 2016 to the present, a higher rating for his back disability is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and total disability based on individual unemployability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is related to his military service or if it was aggravated by his service-connected bilateral patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity sciatica, finding no evidence of a chronic condition in service or current symptoms related to those conditions.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen claims for service connection for low back and psychiatric disabilities is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.,The Veteran's appeal to reopen claims for service connection for low back and psychiatric disabilities (to include PTSD) is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 28, 2014, for the grant of lumbar sprain with muscle spasms and dextroscoliosis was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD was denied. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 100% disability rating.