Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to incomplete development and requests that the Veteran provide a completed Application for TDIU, VA Form 21-8940, as well as information regarding his education and employment history since his discharge from service. The AOJ is also instructed to obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left elbow and lumbar spine disabilities, which are secondary to his already service-connected cervical spine disability, need further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, which is the highest rating available for limitation of motion.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty or service-connected conditions. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and lumbar spine arthritis, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied for stroke residuals due to lack of evidence of a current diagnosis during the appeal period.

The Board denied an increase in disability rating for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine prior to October 27, 2017 and from October 27, 2017 onwards. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and back disability have been granted, with the PTSD claim being reopened based on new evidence and the back disability claim being granted as well.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records, specifically missing service treatment records from his periods of active duty. The Veteran is advised that he may file a claim for an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability if desired.

The Board has remanded the claims of a higher rating for arthritis of the lumbar spine, a compensable rating for residuals of fracture of the right tibia and fibula, and a compensable rating for hypertension due to missing VA treatment records from April 2014 to December 2015. The appellant will be given an opportunity to respond after these records are obtained.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for his right shoulder, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate examinations. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and left knee disabilities are related to his service, including multiple parachute jumps. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions and lay statements regarding the onset of various conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatica was dismissed as service connection had been severed due to overlapping symptomatology. The appeals for residuals of prostate cancer and degenerative joint/disc disease of the lumbar spine are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pinched nerve in the low back due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability is dismissed as moot because he has already been granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, skin disorders, and a disability rating higher than 10 percent for a headache disorder due to new evidence or medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's employability and his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities. The case will be returned for further development, including an examination of the Veteran's mental health and cognitive abilities.

The Board has denied an increased rating for hypertension and remanded the claim for lumbosacral strain to include sciatica and DDD due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the appellant's thoracolumbar disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disability. The issues of service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus remain unresolved.

The Board has denied reopening the claims for service connection of left knee, neck and low back disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development.