Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle disorders, as well as a back disorder secondary to his ankle disorders. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or the onset of arthritis years after separation.

The Veteran's request to reopen a claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. Service connection is also granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder. The claims for TBI, left shoulder disability, lumbar spine condition, left knee disability, sleep disorder, and GERD are all remanded.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disorder is granted. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disorder and a back disorder, finding that the disorders were not incurred or aggravated by service. The VA examiner concluded that the disorders are more likely related to aging and a post-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, cervical spine osteoarthritis, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his active duty service.,There is no evidence of any neck injury or diagnosis of cervical spine disability during service or for more than a decade after service.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals, compression fracture, L1, have been rated at 20 percent. The Board found that the disability did not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating as there was no evidence of forward flexion of 30 degrees or less, or favorable ankylosis.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been reopened and are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board is remanding to determine when VA received a document labeled 'Third Party Correspondence' with a receipt date of April 1, 2010, which contains an SSA determination. The Veteran's representative claims this evidence should have been considered in the May 2010 rating decision that denied TDIU.

The Veteran's back disability, boney deformity of the pelvic bone (claimed as internal scarring), erectile dysfunction, and scars on his right thigh and left hand are all related to his October 1977 in-service motorcycle accident. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disorders are related to his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The issues of service connection for diverticular disease and colon polyps are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, prostate disorder, high cholesterol, and neck disorder has been reopened. However, the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, bilateral hip disability, left knee disability, bilateral eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus, trouble speaking, TBI, and headaches are remanded due to new evidence received after the last statement of the case.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disorder, finding that his arthritis of the lumbar spine was present within one year of separation from service and is therefore presumed to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and for an acquired psychiatric disorder for the purpose of establishing eligibility for treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current back disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including an injury sustained in Germany. Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded and requires additional development.

The Board has found that the RO did not substantially comply with prior remand directives and therefore, the claims for increased ratings for service-connected residuals lumbar strain; left knee chondromalacia, status post arthroscopy; right knee chondromalacia; and headaches are being remanded. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricability with these issues.

The Board found the reduction in rating from 40% to 10% for lumbosacral strain was proper, but remanded the issues of service connection for a cervical spine condition and increased rating for lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot injury (pes planus), and left foot injury (pes planus). The reasons given were that there was no current diagnosis of these conditions during or prior to the appeal period.