Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder, including arthritis, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current disability and his military service or any service-connected condition. The Board also found that the Veteran’s right knee disability did not cause or aggravate his low back disorder.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of throat surgery due to lack of current disability. The claims for lumbar spine, right leg, left knee, and right knee disabilities are remanded as new medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the severity of his diabetes mellitus and whether he requires regulation of activities. Additional claims for service connection are referred for adjudication.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and right lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and a back disorder as secondary to his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease with patellofemoral syndrome are granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of an armpit rash and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to his withdrawal of these claims prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, granted service connection for tinnitus, and denied service connection for residuals of partial colon resection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disorder, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that his current low back disorder began during service or is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to adjudicate the special monthly compensation claim and has therefore remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbosacral spine disorder and for TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his thoracolumbar spine osteoarthritis and cervical spine osteoarthritis are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence linking the claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar spine strain and cervical spine strain have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,The Veteran's claim for hypothyroidism has also been denied, with the Board concluding that his condition did not begin during service.

The Board has remanded several issues due to the need for additional development and examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not supported by evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and lack of evaluation as directed in the March 2013 remand. The issues are now pending for further review.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot, low back, and right shoulder disabilities due to new evidence submitted within one year of the August 2014 rating decision. However, the claims remain denied as there is no new and material evidence to support reopening of the original service connection claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability due to new and material evidence. However, the claims for right knee and back disabilities remain denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral chronic autosomal polycystic kidney disease is rated at 30 percent from October 1, 2006 to October 15, 2014. The claim for a higher rating is denied. Service connection for low back and abdominal or gastrointestinal disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a status post lumbosacral spine with fusion and degenerative disc disease of the lower back, as well as alcohol dependence secondary to a lumbosacral spine condition. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.