Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability has not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Veteran's request for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is dismissed as he withdrew the appeal.,The issue of assigning an effective date prior to September 16, 2005, for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine remains pending.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include tinnitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left arm, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, low back pain, hearing loss in both ears, carpal tunnel syndrome and radiculopathy, vision problems, and headaches.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, shin splints, and foot disorders other than pes planus. The decision on whether these conditions are related to service is pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for low back injury. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee disability, back disability, right foot disability, headaches, and RSD of bilateral lower extremities due to incomplete VA opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an inadequate VA examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which was previously denied in 1997, 2006, and 2012.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disorders, finding no nexus between the current conditions and service. The VA examiners provided multiple negative opinions regarding a causal relationship.

The Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis changes of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available.,The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and pain disorder are currently rated at 30 percent.

Service connection is denied for a dental disability for compensation purposes (claimed as periodontal disease). The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss and low back strain has been dismissed. The appeals for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and GERD have been remanded.,Service connection is not granted for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (lumbar spine disability), and major depressive disorder as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and active duty.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a back disability due to new and material evidence received since the last denial. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and headaches, but granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The issues of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are also remanded.,Service connection was not granted for head trauma or headaches as secondary to head trauma.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability has been granted, but the disability is not considered to be related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from his federal disability retirement and Social Security Administration benefits applications.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and bilateral knees due to incomplete records from Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for a back disability due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to additional VA medical evidence not yet reviewed by the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete documentation and need for further examination. The Veteran's back disability, right shoulder disabilities, and left shoulder disabilities are all under review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and cervical radiculopathy are not service connected, as no VA examiner provided an opinion regarding their relationship to his thoracolumbar spine disability. The case is therefore remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for her low back disability is denied. The Board found that the objective medical findings did not support a higher rating, despite the Veteran's reported symptoms and functional limitations. Her claim for TDIU was granted as she met the schedular requirements and had service-connected disabilities rated at least 60% combined.