Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and finds that the Veteran's currently diagnosed tinnitus had its onset during his military service. The Veteran's back disorder is also found to have been incurred in service, with a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on her range of motion measurements.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for depression, finding that there was no direct or secondary service connection based on the evidence presented.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than July 5, 2016 for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease. The propriety of separate noncompensable ratings for instability of the right and left knees was also addressed but not decided as it is part of higher rating claims. Additionally, the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to July 5, 2016 remains on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete factual history in previous VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a supplemental medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right leg disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, diagnosed as DDD/DJD of the lumbar spine with posterior dislocation of the coccyx, and increased the rating to 20 percent. The claim for vision disorder is denied, and the claim for colon cancer is not currently before the Board.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records from Lake City VA medical center in Florida.

The Veteran has been rated as 60 percent disabled for back disability since May 15, 1996. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities and grants TDIU from May 15, 1996 to January 23, 2007.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The claim for an increased rating has been denied.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and assigned a 50 percent disability evaluation. The claim of service connection for low back disorder was denied.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the appellant's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, effective from July 28, 2011. A separate 10 percent rating is assigned for right lower extremity radiculitis.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was granted a 20 percent rating effective August 14, 2017. The Board found that the Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine warranted a higher initial evaluation prior to this date.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, effective January 17, 2017. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence showing forward flexion limited to 67.5 degrees and no episodes of bed rest having a total duration of at least four weeks.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and determine whether they are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal of the denial of service connection for a low back disability and the initial ratings assigned for PTSD with anxiety and depressive symptoms, status post traumatic brain injury; folliculitis with early component of hidradenitis suppurativa of the axilla and groin; and status post orbital blowout fracture.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claim on appeal can be considered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his back disabilities. The neuropathy claims are also inextricably intertwined with the back claims.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals for the issues of service connection for right wrist, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities. The Board does not have jurisdiction to review these appeal.