Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and neck conditions due to the need for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination for the low back disability and requests for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain any treatment records from Cooper Green Hospital, as the Veteran's representative requested. The decision does not address service connection or assign a rating.

The Veteran withdrew his increased rating claims for his right knee and lumbar spine disabilities, so the Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, left foot disorder, hemorrhoids, and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 16, 2016, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied.,The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.,The Veteran's claim for a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the lower left extremity was granted, subject to further review.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (MDD and PTSD) is granted service connection. The left wrist fracture, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are all rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to her in-service fall and whether the absence of treatment records was due to Hurricane Katrina.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, and bilateral hip disability as the evidence did not show a nexus to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings for service-connected DJD of the thoracolumbar spine, left leg shin splints, and right leg shin splints have been dismissed due to his withdrawal from appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's in-service duties as a truck driver could have caused his current low back condition.

The Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, back disability, and gastrointestinal disability have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including back condition, sinus condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, coronary artery disease, Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity weakness, and PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for a back disorder due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, but the Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if his back disability and bilateral foot condition are related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that his current back disability was not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and requires a new examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disorder is related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder, cervical spine, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to an in-service tank-related injury. The appellant is advised that VA will obtain additional medical records and schedule him for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been reopened, and the case is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right knee disorders, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and his military service.