Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service connected knee disabilities. The rating for right and left knee disabilities have been increased.

The Board has not found sufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's back brace, arm crutches, and left leg brace were used for their service-connected conditions in August 2017. The records are lacking relevant treatment notes from 2016 and 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back condition has been reopened, and the issue of an increased rating for left knee degenerative joint disease of the patellofemoral joint is being remanded. The issue of a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae remains unresolved.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for low back disability and cervical spine disorder are both denied.,Service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, intestinal issue, right hand disability, and left hand disability are all denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and the need for a VA examination. The issues of cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right foot disability secondary to lumbar spine disability are being reviewed.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent throughout the appeal period.,Service connection for a back disability, including as due to service-connected bilateral hallux valgus and bilateral knee disabilities, is denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran’s current back disability and her service-connected bilateral hallux valgus or knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a cervical spine disability, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition related to these disabilities.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from April 1, 2018 due to his service-connected adjustment disorder with depression and back condition preventing him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and increased rating for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome have all been denied.,Service connection was not granted because there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service. The Veteran's lay statements regarding herbicide exposure were found to be inconsistent with the places, types, and circumstances of his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease, is related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding service connection for mechanical low back pain with lumbar myofascial trigger point.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for earlier effective date and increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and an initial evaluation for a stressor-related disorder. The issues include heart disorders, bilateral hearing loss, back problems, laryngeal cancer, lymph node cancer, and a stressor-related disorder. Additional evidence is needed from VA and private sources.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on migraines, generalized anxiety disorder, and lumbar strain have been dismissed. Her fibromyalgia has been granted a TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities rendering her unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment.

The appeal of the issues related to migraines, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and left second metacarpal fracture is dismissed as these conditions have been awarded service connection. The issue of service connection for a left shoulder condition is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the entire body and degenerative disc disease of the cervical and thoracic spine, finding that his conditions are less likely than not due to or aggravated by his active duty service.

The claim for service connection for a left knee disability has been reopened, but the appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability is also remanded.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an updated VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for recurrent thoracolumbar strain, including its relationship to his in-service motor vehicle accident. The examiner is asked to provide opinions on whether the current back disorders are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's disabilities, including acne vulgaris, left knee disability, callosities of the feet, and left ear hearing loss. The back disability issue is also being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc and joint disease is granted as service connected. The neck injury claim is remanded for further examination.