Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and lack of VA examinations. The Veteran is presumed to have incurred hearing loss and tinnitus during his period of service, but further examination is needed to determine their etiology.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The back disorder, TBI residuals, and seizure disorder claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and failure to consider the Veteran's contentions regarding his back injuries during service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and left foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for the initial ratings of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and left peroneal palsy and L5 radiculopathy, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and cervical spine disorder. The appeal is remanded to obtain a VA examination for the Veteran's currently present bilateral foot disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder bursitis, right hip bursitis, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. However, the effective date for the award of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of left and right lower extremities, and remanded other issues including hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and depression.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral foot disability, low back disability, and neck disability due to a lack of service treatment records from Fort Leonard Wood. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining missing STRs, scheduling VA examinations, and considering new evidence.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability with arthritis was manifested by forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine that was limited to greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees, without ankylosis or associated objective neurologic abnormalities. The Board found no evidence supporting a higher rating and denied the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's low back condition existed prior to service and worsened during service.

The Board has decided that the VA did not adequately fulfill its duty to obtain medical records from Naval Training Center, San Diego, California. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess its current severity.

The claim for service connection of a low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding causation and aggravation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis with fusion. The preponderance of evidence shows that his current condition is not causally related to any disease or injury in service.

The Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. Her initial rating for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor and Hypertrophic Gastritis, as well as her ratings for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis at T12-L1 and left leg radiculopathy were all granted. The Veteran's PTSD and adjustment disorder with depressed and anxious mood received a 70 percent rating, but no higher.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that his forward flexion was greater than 30 degrees and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder, including compression fraction and degenerative disc disease, is related to his military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a low back disorder was received by VA on July 8, 2013. The Board has determined that the effective date of the award of service connection for degenerative spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine can be no earlier than July 8, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for low back strain. The remaining claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure.