Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood has been granted a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from February 22, 2013.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also granted.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, deviated nasal septum, and obstructive sleep apnea as these conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various arthritic conditions, but has remanded them due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for any of the claimed conditions and thus, service connection is denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, RLE shin splints (right lower extremity), right ankle disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's lower back disability is related to his service-connected knee disabilities or if it had its onset during his active service. The VA examiner must provide opinions on these issues.

The claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine has been reopened due to new evidence, but it is still denied as there is no evidence that the condition began during or was caused by military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disability. The Veteran's current disabilities are not shown to have begun during active service or be otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection was also denied for a right leg disability as secondary to the low back disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and missing VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for low back and left hip disabilities, finding no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active service or events therein.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to his service-connected left shoulder disability, right ankle condition, low back condition, and upper back and neck condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing service treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to request any available medical records from the Ohio National Guard.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal conditions and a low back condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding service connection for prostate and low back disabilities, an earlier effective date for coronary artery stenosis residuals, a higher initial rating for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, and TDIU prior to December 3, 2013. The Veteran withdrew his appeal in October 2019.

The Veteran's claims for neck disability, chronic lumbar disability, headaches, and chest pain have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for these conditions.,Service connection has also been granted for GERD (stomach pains).

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have worsened, necessitating a new VA examination to determine the severity of each condition. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, right and left foot scars, low back disability, neck disability, coronary artery disease, skin disability, osteomyelitis, and PTSD due to incomplete records from the Veteran's National Guard service. The Veteran needs to provide specific documented confirmation of the unavailability of the missing records.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability rating is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess current severity.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted a 40% rating, and the hearing loss issue is remanded for further evaluation. The TDIU determination is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of records.