Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The lower back and knee conditions are remanded due to new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, as well as his requests for increased evaluations for his right elbow and residual scarring associated with amputation of his toes. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated private and VA treatment records, schedule an appropriate VA examination, and provide the Veteran with a Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 26, 2012 for service connection were denied.,The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings and increased ratings for various disabilities were remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine, L4-5 and L5-S1 with bulging disc is being remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of any low back disorder, as well as whether the Veteran's preexisting lumbar spine disorder was aggravated by his military service. The VA will need to provide a new examination and review the results.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disorder is related to his service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding new and material evidence. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for lumbosacral facet arthritis with thoracolumbar DDD and cervical spine DDD have been denied as her conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back pain and related conditions, as well as a bilateral lower extremity neurological disorder including sciatica, were denied. The Board found no evidence of chronic diseases or injuries during service that could be linked to the current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD, was granted. The claim for service connection for the low back disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service. The claim for service connection for the acquired psychiatric condition remains pending as new evidence has been submitted.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed right wrist, cervical spine, lower back, bilateral knee, and right ankle disorders as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has remanded four issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including a low back disability and psychiatric disability.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, radiculopathy, muscle loss in upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy in lower extremities, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service.

The Board denied service connection for back and right foot disorders as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease, and the Veteran did not provide any lay or medical evidence to support a nexus between current conditions and service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, radiculopathy, muscle loss in upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy in lower extremities, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, low back disability, wrist osteoarthritis, and left lower extremity radiculopathy, prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 31, 2012. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on the evidence showing his service-connected conditions precluded him from sedentary employment.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for left leg thrombophlebitis and remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for spondylolisthesis lumbosacral spine at L5-S1 and separate ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The evidence did not show more than moderate limitation of motion or flexion limited to 40 degrees.