Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to failure to report for VA examinations and issues with scheduling. The claims include service connection for psychiatric disorder, left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbar spine disability, and cervical spine disability.

The Board has granted an effective date of November 4, 2010 for special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance based on the Veteran's service-connected lumbar disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for neck, back, left shoulder, and right shoulder conditions. However, it denied these claims as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that could have caused the current disabilities.

The Veteran's TBI and migraine headaches are remanded for further examination. The cervical spine and low back disabilities are also remanded, as the VA examinations relied on insufficient reasoning.

The Veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in service, as there is no evidence of a back injury or pain during his military service. The current diagnosis of chronic low back pain does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for tinnitus as secondary to bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is granted service connection for this condition.,Issues regarding asthma and chronic bronchitis have been remanded due to new evidence submitted by the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims for further action due to incomplete evaluations and lack of consideration of lay assertions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder and granted it. Service connection was also granted for cervical strain and left neural foraminal stenosis, but radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities remains unresolved.

The Veteran's low back disorder and neck disorder are granted service connection, with the low back disorder receiving a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board has also remanded the cases for further examination and verification of stressor events.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied. A 40 percent rating was granted from October 5, 2015 to November 15, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic lumbar strain and service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are denied as there is no evidence of a formal or informal claim prior to July 28, 2017.,The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar facet arthropathy, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the condition is related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service records and a need for an addendum VA examination. The Veteran's claim of having a current low back disorder related to service is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic low back pain and denied the claims for allergic rhinitis, respiratory disability, and sinusitis due to exposure to burn pits in Southwest Asia. The Veteran's chronic low back pain is related to his military service, but his preexisting allergic rhinitis was not aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected back disability contributed to his death and whether a heart disability was caused by medications used for his back condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues of service connection for low back, neck, left shoulder disabilities and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted as the Board finds that his current disability is related to an in-service injury and continuous symptoms since separation from active duty.

The Board has granted the claim for service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's military service.