Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lower back disability and an increased rating for PTSD due to incomplete records, inconsistencies in dates of service, and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of kidney stones with horseshoe kidneys was denied in 1986 due to congenital origin and treatment during service. New evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,Service connection for a sleep condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases due to ongoing complaints of wrist, neck, shoulder, ankle, lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, and epididymo-orchitis disorders. The case requires further examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes is denied. The cervical spine disability and bilateral hearing loss issues are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, residuals of a left ankle injury, mesothelioma, heart disability including coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.,Additional issues related to hearing loss, tinnitus, arthritis, right ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and temporary total rating for a period of convalescence have been remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for low back disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to an injury sustained during service in Southwest Asia in 1991.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and right elbow ulnar neuritis is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran contends that his current conditions are related to in-service motor vehicle accidents, but there is conflicting evidence from previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected low back disability is being remanded due to the need for further development, including a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar disc disease as the condition did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period and is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated VA treatment records and conduct a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now before the Board.,The issues of entitlement to service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability (peptic ulcer disease), acquired psychiatric disability (major depression disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD), diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the issue regarding a higher rating for degenerative disc disease with spondylosis from June 27, 2013 to March 12, 2018 due to outstanding VA and private treatment records. The Veteran is also referred to have his claims for metatarsalgia of the feet reviewed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a failure to consider continuity of symptomatology since service. The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent prior to January 20, 2012. From January 20, 2012, the rating remains at 20 percent as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Board denied service connection for low back, right knee, and left knee conditions due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right paravertebral muscle strain (claimed as lower back condition) is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the potential relevance of outstanding medical records.

Your initial rating for your lumbar spine disability has been set at 20 percent, and the appeal to increase it further or to get a TDIU is dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar and cervical spine disorders, as well as his left ankle disorder, were denied. The case was remanded for further development regarding the left ankle disorder and TDIU claim.