Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, lumbar spine and bilateral knee conditions, PTSD, and mallet right 5th finger condition, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU claim based on these combined disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine strain prior to June 17, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, diagnosed as degenerative disease of the thoracolumbar spine and lumbar spondylosis, to include as secondary to neck disability. The right knee sprain claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, to include as secondary to a service-connected left shoulder disability, due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and to obtain relevant medical records. The issues include increased ratings for lumbar spine DDD with IVDS, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate medical examinations and development needs.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any current lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has found that additional development is required due to the need for updated evaluations and consideration of recent examination findings. The claims are being remanded for further action.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability and remanded the cases of hernia, bowel disability, diverticulosis, internal hemorrhoids, esophageal disability, GERD, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are now pending again with new examinations required.

The Veteran's depression is found to be secondary to his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine.,For GERD, an initial disability rating of 10 percent has been granted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for GERD and remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, cervical and lumbar spinal damage, seizures, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI, and total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine disability, pes planus, and allergic rhinitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for each condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist disability was remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding its etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including whether it is related to his service-connected right and left knee strains.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as his substantive appeal was not timely filed within the required time frame.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, migraines, and chronic nosebleeds due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the current severity of his psychiatric and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as the etiology of his onychomycosis and left toe injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for her service-connected thoracolumbar and cervical spine disabilities due to inadequate examinations and need for updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that new examinations are necessary to properly assess the Veteran's right shoulder and back disabilities, as the current examinations did not comply with the requirements set forth in Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic back condition or disability in service and that his current diagnoses were not related to any in-service injury. The VA examiners' opinions were considered probative.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted. The Board also remanded the issues of rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD with esophageal stricture and eosinophilic esophagitis, and chronic lumbosacral strain.