Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and for additional development, including a new VA examination.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with a 50% rating. The service connection claims for the skin condition on the feet (claimed as jungle rot) and back disability are also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and the need to obtain outstanding private treatment records. The issues include reopening a claim of bilateral pes planus, as well as service connection for low back disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, hip disability, knee disability, stomach disability, and skin rash.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations in determining the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected back and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's back brace caused wear and tear to his clothing, leading the Board to grant a clothing allowance for the 2017 calendar year.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, and left ankle condition have been granted. The other claims remain denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting lumbar spine condition was aggravated by service. The Veteran must be afforded a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including heart disorder, sleep apnea, back disability, right foot disability, and hernia, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Meniere's Disease is denied as it is not secondary to any service-connected condition.,Service connection for mechanical low back pain is also denied, with the rating for this condition remaining at 20 percent.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for cervical degenerative disc disease with arthritis, tinnitus, and left upper extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for type II diabetes mellitus is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The lumbar spine disability claim is remanded as new evidence has been submitted, but a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the claims of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for a lumbar spine disability, service connection for a right ankle disability and service connection for a right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more definitive opinion regarding his lumbosacral spine disability. The current VA examination was deemed inadequate and does not provide sufficient evidence on whether the condition is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a right hip disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's neck and back disorders were not incurred in or related to her military service. The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition during service, within one year after separation, or otherwise linked to the Veteran's active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of osteoarthritis of the left and right hips, left and right knee conditions, and DDD of the cervical spine as secondary to lumbosacral degenerative disease were denied.,PTSD was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no continuity of symptomatology since service. The Veteran's current neck disabilities are attributed to natural aging processes.,The issue of service connection for a back disability remains pending as additional information regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) is needed, along with medical clarification on whether his congenital conditions are developmental defects or diseases.

The Veteran's appeal for an increase rating in his degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine was denied. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a separate compensable rating for the residuals of right ischial tuberosity fracture, involving the hip and right lower extremity, has been remanded due to pending development requirements.