Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, coronary artery disease (CAD), arthritis, a back disorder, a left shoulder disorder, a right shoulder disorder, and a left leg disorder. The decision found no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after active service.,Service connection was also denied for a right leg disorder. The Board noted that the Veteran had not been diagnosed with any such condition until October 2001.

The Board has decided that service connection cannot be established for the Veteran's back condition, but has remanded the case to obtain missing service records and provide an etiology opinion regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in the loss of use of both lower extremities, necessitating the regular and constant use of a wheelchair, cane, leg braces, or crutches. The Board has granted specially adapted housing and automobile and adaptive equipment for these reasons.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The issues of increased ratings for bilateral foot disabilities and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded multiple issues including psychiatric disorder, bilateral leg disability, right foot and left foot disabilities, back disorder, bilateral hand disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and Reiter’s syndrome due to procedural errors and the Veteran's incarceration.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back and neck conditions, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further development of records. The Veteran's low back disability is being reviewed again as service connection may be established.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for his low back disability was dismissed as the issue had already been decided by the Board and is now final.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his thoracolumbar spine condition or left knee DJD prior to October 27, 2015 and from February 1, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The Veteran needs to provide updated medical records and a new examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of arthritis is related to his in-service injuries and overuse.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to separate compensable disability ratings for right and left lower extremity neurological disorders, as due to service connected DDD of the thoracolumbar spine. The Veteran needs to undergo a VA examination to determine if they have these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a bilateral foot condition was denied as the evidence did not show it was related to service. However, his claim for back strain with low back pain was granted due to the medical opinion linking it to service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back pain is related to her service-connected condition or if it was caused by her service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for left upper and lower extremity conditions, as well as nonservice-connected pension. The decision is based on the appellant's character of discharge during his period of other than honorable service from March 2001 to October 2003, which barred him from VA benefits for that period. The Board also dismissed the appeals due to the appellant's withdrawal of those claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional evidence and examination, as there are unresolved issues regarding the service connection of a lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for tinnitus is dismissed.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and PTSD), a neck condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right arm condition, hypertension, low back condition, and bilateral foot condition are remanded.,The Veteran wishes to withdraw his appeal of the increased rating for tinnitus. The claim is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar degenerative spondylosis and right and left knee patellar-femoral degenerative changes, cause severe impairment such that he is unable to ambulate without an assistive device such as a wheelchair. The Board finds eligibility for specially adapted housing due to loss of use of both lower extremities.

The Veteran's CAD, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar spine disability have been granted increased ratings to 60 percent for the entire initial rating period on appeal.