Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's back disability and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left thumb disorder, an extraschedular rating for his thoracolumbar spine disorder, and an extraschedular rating for his bilateral foot disorder. The TDIU claim was also denied as the Veteran is currently employed.

The Board dismissed all claims of service connection for various conditions, including muscle spasms, lumbar and cervical spine disorders, hip, knee, ankle, and leg disorders, PTSD, GERD with chronic gastritis and duodenitis, and eczematous dermatitis. The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered to be related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine due to inadequate examination findings and requests for clarification.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is not service-connected, and the Board finds that there is no evidence to support a finding of secondary service connection.,The Veteran's low back disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability requires further evaluation due to lack of recent medical records and SSA records. Additionally, a TDIU claim is inferred from his SSA award, and an SMC A&A claim is added for consideration.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral disk disease (low back disability) and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,The Board also denied secondary service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as it was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of spinal meningitis. The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in denying service connection for psoriasis in April 1996, and new evidence has reopened the claim for service connection for psoriatic arthritis, fibrocystic disease status post bilateral mastectomy, LQTS status post heart failure, adenomyosis status post hysterectomy, and lumbar spine disability. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder conditions and an increased rating for migraine headaches are remanded due to the need for further examination and medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for high cholesterol, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, hypertension, and a disability causing acid reflux due to incomplete development of records and need for further medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims. The case is now remanded for additional development including obtaining addendum opinions from VA clinicians.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's back condition, specifically whether it is related to service. The Veteran asserts that his current back disability is linked to an injury in service, but a VA examiner found no evidence of such.

The Board has remanded four issues: service connection for PTSD, evaluation in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain, evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee disability, and evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hypertension. The Veteran is to be provided with VA examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities and determine their etiology.

The Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities as of April 16, 2012.

The Veteran's back disability is remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the 30th Field Hospital and private providers. An examination will be scheduled to determine if his current back disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, service connection, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and the need for updated treatment records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for an upper back disability, lumbar spine disability, left knee and foot disabilities, right Achilles tendonitis, and bilateral hand disabilities. The remand requires additional medical opinions on whether these conditions are related to in-service motor vehicle accidents or other inservice events.

The Veteran's claims for left wrist disorder, petition to reopen right wrist pain, and asthma rating are dismissed. The lower back and right shoulder disorders' service connection petitions are reopened.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability other than pseudofolliculitis barbae, low back disability, bilateral wrist disabilities (including carpal tunnel syndrome), and right knee disability due to lack of evidence supporting these claims. The case is remanded for further development.