Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the right foot at first metatarsophalangeal and distal interphalangeal of the second toe is granted. The appeal regarding entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for low back degenerative disc disease is remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability. However, the evidence does not support a finding that he currently has any of these conditions and therefore his claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck and back disabilities due to lack of a VA examination, and requests that any outstanding private treatment records be secured.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right elbow, low back, neck, left leg, and right leg disabilities due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and he is granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted a 20 percent rating for the period prior to October 26, 2012 and a 40 percent rating from May 9, 2018. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is granted a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran was found unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected bipolar disorder, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (post-laminectomy L5-S1), and right lower extremity neuralgia from February 14, 2012 to November 19, 2012.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for PTSD, back disability, neck disability, respiratory disability, tinnitus, and CFS. The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered in determining whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is granted service connection. The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus claim for exposure to herbicide agents in service is denied.

The Veteran's asthma disability began during active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The low back disability, sleep apnea, and swelling in legs and feet are all remanded due to incomplete records and need further examination.

The Board denied service connection for left and right hip conditions, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome and cardiovascular condition, all claimed as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine arthritis.,Specifically, the Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities were found not caused by or related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's appeals regarding PTSD, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and asthma have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a disability of the fingers of his left hand. The claims for service connection for back and neck disabilities are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for migraine headaches, chronic rhinitis, and back condition need to be remanded due to a lack of recent medical examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, leaving no issues to be decided by the Board.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is granted service connection. The appeals for the left knee, right knee, low back, and GERD are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed because he withdrew his appeal in June 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability for accrued benefits purposes, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation for his cervical spine condition, previously claimed as a neck condition, and lumbar spine condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.