Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board cannot adjudicate the merits of his appeals as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for lumbar spine disability has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claim for cervical spine disability has also been reopened and granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The matter is being remanded to obtain a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his claimed lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease are etiologically related to an incident of his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his service-connected low back disability and to consider his claim for a TDIU prior to April 28, 2016.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including lung disability, right hip condition, right hand condition, low back condition, OSA, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded for further development, including obtaining complete service treatment records and VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back condition, which includes developmental kyphosis, was aggravated by service, specifically an in-service motor vehicle accident and the physical demands of his military duties. As a result, the appeal for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded. Additionally, the TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of hypertension has been granted. The Board finds new and material evidence that suggests a relationship between herbicide agent exposure and hypertension.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded as the issue remains unresolved.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding direct service connection and secondary service connection. The Veteran's back condition is being reviewed for potential service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back disorder, right foot injury (recurring sprains), and left foot fracture are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for recurrent venous thrombosis is also being remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding her current disability status.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of rating in excess of 20 percent for a lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability is granted, and the case is remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that further development is required before it can address the merits of the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder condition due to lack of a current disability. The lower back and neck conditions are remanded as the evidence is insufficient to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for new evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a back disability, right shoulder disability, bilateral epididymal cysts, left shoulder impingement syndrome, and chronic maxillary sinusitis/rhinitis, did not render him unemployable during the period from July 2, 2010 to February 27, 2014. The Board found that his education, past work experience, and functional impairment caused by these disabilities were not sufficient to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's low back disorder, classified as degenerative arthritis and possibly including disc pathology, is being remanded for further development due to inadequate examination. Additional records are needed, and a new VA examination must be conducted.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened, service connection for schizophreniform disorder is granted, hypertension and lumbar spine disorder are denied, and a 10% rating is assigned for tinnitus with an effective date of February 5, 2015.