Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disorder, peripheral neuropathy of BUE and BLE, and acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD and depression due to service. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board determined the Veteran is not entitled to an extraschedular rating for his service-connected low back disorder.,The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders are secondary to his service-connected low back disorder.,The preponderance of evidence also does not support a finding that the Veteran is unable to obtain and/or maintain substantially gainful employment due solely to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection and increased rating for knee conditions, as well as a low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with a previous remand directive and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's back condition warrants a 40 percent rating for the entire appeal period.,Radiculopathy of the lower extremities is rated at 10 percent from September 15, 2009 to October 14, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 s/p L4-L5 laminectomy and discectomy due to a lack of proper notification for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis was denied as the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Veteran's major depression is rated at 70 percent, and the appeal for an increased rating has been denied. The Veteran also appealed for a TDIU but was denied as he remains employed full-time.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability. The claim for increased ratings for the right ankle disability is also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his back disability is denied as the evidence does not show unfavorable ankylosis of the spine or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) lasting at least six weeks in a 12-month period.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient explanation in the December 2016 decision and failure to obtain a medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current thoracolumbar back disability is caused or aggravated by her service-connected disabilities. The VA needs to schedule an additional examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for myalgias, bilateral hearing loss disability, PTSD, a lumbosacral spine disability, and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD (major depressive disorder) have been denied. The Board found no current disabilities due to the claimed conditions or incidents of service.

The Veteran is granted service connection for a back condition and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The appeal regarding an increased disability rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that there was no credible evidence to support his assertion that he had ongoing chronic back pain from service. The preponderance of the evidence indicated that any current low back disability is not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic right knee sprain, degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, and chronic right hip sprain.,The VA examiner found no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service injuries or events.

The Board has determined that there is relative equipoise in whether the Veteran's DJD of the right knee and DDD and DJD of the lumbar spine are caused by or related to his service-connected DJD of the right ankle. As such, the claim for secondary service connection for these conditions is granted.

The appeal seeking to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is granted. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and back disability are not related to service, but his tinnitus appeal was withdrawn. The claims for a bilateral hip disability and left eye disability are remanded for further development.