Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his claims.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence did not establish a link to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new vocational rehabilitation evaluation considering his current service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for dizziness and balance problems, bilateral hearing loss, back disability, and right hip disability are denied as they are found to be related to his service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his skin cancer and service connection. The TDIU claim prior to April 18, 2011, is also remanded as it may be eligible for an extraschedular rating.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, left knee, and right knee conditions are granted service connection.,Service connection for headaches is also granted.

The Veteran's degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine were granted a 20% rating from March 27, 2006 to October 6, 2013. The Board found that the condition did not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination report and need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's back disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to incomplete development of records, including VA and private treatment records. The issues include PTSD, neuropsychiatric condition, back disability, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the previously denied claims for service connection due to a pending claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 related to a right total knee arthroplasty performed by VA.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right hip condition, left hip condition, right knee condition, and lumbar spine condition due to procedural reasons. The effective date for the award of a 100 percent rating for PTSD is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and obtaining missing service records, as well as Social Security Administration disability benefits records.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee, left knee, right shoulder, left shoulder, and low back disabilities as they are etiologically related to trauma sustained in active service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left shoulder, neck, and back disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board denied reopening the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection for left knee disability, back disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for back injury, lumbar degenerative disc disease, anxiety and depression as secondary to lumbar degenerative disc disease, and hypertension has been granted.,Service connection is also being remanded for the issue of whether hypertension is secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities because the evidence of record is insufficient to substantiate the TDIU appeal and the Veteran did not respond to the RO's requests for information.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for several issues, including those related to pes planus, migraines, pseudofolliculitis barbae, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, bursitis of the right hip (limitation of flexion), bursitis of the right hip (impairment of thigh), bursitis of the right hip (limitation of extension), and lumbar strain. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his low back disability is being remanded due to the need for a new medical examination and the potential need for additional VA treatment records.