Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus, a lumbar spine disability, and a respiratory disability. The issues have been remanded to allow for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no causal link between his current condition and his military service. The earliest medical evidence of record indicating the presence of a low back disability is more than two decades after his separation from active service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a back disability was dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of chronic disease in service or within a presumptive period, and that continuity of symptomatology did not exist. The Board also found that the low back disorder was not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected cervical strain with degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for an extraschedular TDIU from June 30, 2009 to December 29, 2014 was denied as the preponderance of the evidence did not show that he was unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or event that caused his current degenerative arthritis of the spine. The condition did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge from service.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection for various conditions as the appellant died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disorder and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity prior to November 28, 2018 are rated at 20 percent each. The appeal is granted as the disability ratings are found to be correct.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, bilateral knee disabilities, and an unspecified depressive disorder due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left ankle injury and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back condition and remanded the issue of determining whether his kidney dysfunction is secondary to or aggravated by his service-connected lower back condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and granted it as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board also granted service connection for chronic adjustment disorder, finding that it is related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an outstanding July 2009 MRI report that was not associated with the claims folder. The VA is required to verify and associate any such records, or provide a memorandum indicating their non-existence.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and left knee disability were denied service connection.,A compensable rating for the Veteran's deviated nasal septum, status post nasal fracture is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include determining if a lumbar disability is service-connected, with an emphasis on verifying the Veteran's duty status during his National Guard service.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, is granted service connection.,Service connection for a neck disability is denied due to lack of in-service injury or event.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder and sinus disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the final denial in April 2012. The Board found that this evidence related to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the underlying service connection claims.,The Veteran's back condition is not shown by the probative evidence to have originated during military service or for many years after the conclusion of his service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.