Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted a higher 40 percent rating for the low back strain since May 11, 2017. The case is being remanded to reassess the severity of the Veteran's low back disability from May 1961 to September 2011 and from September 2011 to December 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's back disability, which is claimed as secondary to a service-connected leg disability. The Veteran asserts that his back disability developed over time after service due to an antalgic gait from his service-connected leg injury.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the cervical spine, left arm radiculopathy, right arm radiculopathy, left leg radiculopathy, and right leg radiculopathy. Service connection was also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and major neurocognitive disorder).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his disabilities and his service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The Veteran is also required to provide additional records from J.B., a medical professional, who provided research indicating a relationship between his disabilities and his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's back disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. His hypertension and acquired psychiatric disorder are also granted, but the rating for his right shoulder disability remains denied.

Service connection for DDD of the lumbosacral spine was denied as there is no evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's current diagnosis of DDD is not shown to be related to his active duty service.,Bipolar I disorder with moderate mania and limitation of flexion, extension, and abduction of the left hip were granted effective January 30, 2014, as these conditions are considered directly related to his service. The Veteran's earlier claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has taken jurisdiction of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability due to the lack of a statement of the case. The matter is REMANDED for issuance of an SOC.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back disability has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded due to the need for further examination.,Service connection is also being remanded for hypertension and other conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of timely filing of a substantive appeal regarding his initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a lumbar spine disability. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, and for a sleep disability are also being remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral foot dermatitis, pes planus, plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, arthritis, metatarsalgia, and Morton's neuroma. The claims are now pending before VA for further review.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, right hip, and left shoulder disabilities. However, further development is needed to determine their etiology due to lack of VA treatment records and examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing back disability was aggravated by his active service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for a back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there is no competent or credible evidence linking his in-service back strain to his current degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent since July 30, 2013. The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to evaluate any additional complications of her low back disability, including neurological impairment and bowel incontinence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, neck, and headache disabilities as well as hypertension. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for PTSD was dismissed due to his withdrawal. The issues of higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for laceration scars and bullet wound scar, and lung disorder were remanded.