Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his inability to dress, undress himself, keep himself clean, adjust prosthetic appliances, feed himself, attend to the wants of nature, or protect from hazards. The Board granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The claim has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted for service connection for a back disorder, but the other issues remain remanded.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability and remanded the claim of service connection for chronic headaches as secondary to a service-connected eye condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after a previous denial of service connection for a back disorder. The Veteran's STRs from his period of active duty have been reviewed, and he is scheduled for a VA examination to determine if his current back disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability and remanded his case for further action regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, high cholesterol, chronic conjunctivitis, and psychiatric disabilities were denied. The Veteran was granted increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability, painful limited motion of the right knee, instability of the right knee, plantar fasciitis of the right foot, and plantar fasciitis of the left foot before specific dates. Other claims for service connection or increased ratings were remanded.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current chronic headache disability, and his right and left knee disabilities are not related to in-service injuries.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with current cervical, lumbar, and bilateral knee disabilities. However, these conditions were not shown during service or within one year of separation. The Board also found that the Veteran does not have a chronic headache disability.

The Veteran's claims for left and right ankle disorders, as well as lumbar and right knee osteoarthritis, have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions.,For the period prior to September 8, 2017, the Veteran’s lumbar osteoarthritis was not shown to meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of foraminal stenosis and degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine, as well as radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The effective date remains June 24, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral elbow disability, COPD, and emphysema. The effective dates for granting service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities were not granted earlier than May 3, 2016. The rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hip disability, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any other service-connected condition. The Board also found that the Veteran's current complaints do not indicate the presence of a bilateral hip disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding a back injury during service and its connection to current low back disability. A new VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and alcohol dependence with alcohol induced mood disorder are granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were denied, with the effective date being October 11, 2013.

The petition to reopen the claim for service connection for back and neck pain is granted. Service connection for a lumbar spine disorder other than degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine (spinal stenosis with epidural lipomatosis) is also granted. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disorder remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing records from a previous hearing. The Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disorder is now pending again.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for a low back disorder due to new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has found that earlier effective dates are not warranted for the Veteran's increased ratings of 40 percent for a back disability and 20 percent for right knee instability, as his entitlement did not arise prior to December 16, 2013. The claims have been remanded due to insufficient examination findings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted for left ankle degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine mild degenerative disc disease, and varicose veins of the legs. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus type 2 and peripheral neuropathy of the feet.