Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, bilateral hallux valgus, low back disorder, and left hip disorder have been reopened. These conditions are now considered secondary to his service-connected sinusitis, bilateral knee disabilities, and left ankle disability.,The reduction in the rating from 10 percent to noncompensable for right knee laxity was not proper as it did not comply with applicable regulations.

The case is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from the Social Security Administration. The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating will be reconsidered after this information is obtained.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current allergy, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral knee osteoarthritis are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his period of active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including end-stage renal failure and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, do not render him unemployable as he is actively pursuing a university degree.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disability, specifically considering antalgic gait and abnormal weight-bearing posture.

The Veteran's right and left leg sciatica have been rated at 20 percent prior to April 23, 2014, and 60 percent after that date. The Board denied the claims for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and right shoulder disorders were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for either condition.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing updated VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional examinations and for the issuance of a Statement of the Case addressing service connection for a left shoulder disability and increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar strain was granted, and he is now rated at 20 percent. Since September 15, 2013, the Veteran has been awarded an additional 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with his service-connected thoracolumbar strain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and right shoulder disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the Veteran's ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected disabilities. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's left knee disability is not service connected, but his low back disability has been rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines. The TDIU claim was granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the cervical spine is not related to her service, and therefore denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has denied all service connection claims as the evidence does not establish a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis have been granted with a separate 30% rating. The remaining issues, including the reopened back and right knee claims, were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability, finding that a reasonable doubt must be resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for separate ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities from April 7, 2016 is granted.