Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of ankylosis or neurological manifestations.

The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for service connection of dyshidrotic eczema, IBS, GERD, and a low back disability. The Board finds the claims were not filed until after the relevant time periods.,The Veteran's initial claim was denied in November 1996, but he did not file another claim for these conditions until years later.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and an initial evaluation of 20 percent for the cervical spine disability. The claims for fatigue, sleep disability, erectile dysfunction, radiculopathy of the upper left extremity, right knee meniscal tear, left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and migraine headaches have been denied.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left hip disability, and right hip disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service. The Veteran's back pain during service is noted, but there are no definitive records linking his current hip disabilities directly to his back condition.

Your claim for service connection regarding hernia has been reopened and is being remanded to determine if your current diagnosis of inguinal hernia is related to your active duty service.,Your claims for service connection regarding low back disability, left ankle disability, and right knee disability have also been reopened and are being remanded to determine the relationship between these conditions and your active duty service.

The appeal for an increased rating greater than 10 percent for a lumbar spine disability is dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her unspecified bipolar and related disorder is granted, with the effective date being September 7, 2016. The Board also found that she has occupational and social impairment due to her psychiatric condition since September 7, 2016.

The appeals for service connection have been granted, and the Veteran is now entitled to compensation for his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation, including consideration of a TDIU claim. The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine does not meet or approximate criteria for an increased rating beyond 20 percent.

The Veteran's back disability is denied as there is no showing of a current condition related to service.,Service connection for the left knee and right knee disabilities are also denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and lumbar spondylosis due to insufficient information on whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service parachuting accident. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the last denial.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA spine examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability and to determine if functional limitation caused by his service-connected lumbosacral strain can be distinguished from his post-service DDD without resorting to mere speculation.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for left hand tenosynovitis is granted, while a higher rating for lumbosacral strain remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need to provide notice regarding alternative sources of evidence for her PTSD claim.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that this rating is not warranted due to limited range of motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and his PTSD rating was increased to 70%. The back, neck, and right knee disorders remain without a finding of service connection.