Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA opinion regarding the etiology of identified additional disabilities resulting from the Veteran's left hip replacement and accompanying leg length discrepancy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from SSA and other sources of disability compensation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left knee disability, but has found that additional development is necessary due to lack of definitive in-service evidence. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine if his current disabilities are related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen the claim for service connection for a chest infection with breathing problems was dismissed. The claims for service connection for left foot pain, left knee pain, high blood pressure, and various lower extremity disabilities were granted. The remaining issues of service connection for low back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have made him unable to work full-time since 2015. The Board has remanded the case for further adjudication of TDIU eligibility under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remands.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, hemorrhoids, and erectile dysfunction. The evidence did not meet the criteria to establish a current disability or link these conditions to active service.,Specifically, there was no documented in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, and post-service medical records showed that they were diagnosed many years after separation from service.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current low back disability with radiculopathy and his military service, thus denying the claim.

The Veteran's current rating for his low back disability is too low, as he reports being unable to clean his home and has limitations on standing and walking. The VA examiner found the September 2017 examination inadequate due to lack of range of motion testing.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine the etiology of his sleep apnea and the severity of his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to pending issues related to the Veteran's car accident in March 2001. The claims will be addressed after obtaining relevant personnel and medical records from his National Guard and/or Reserves service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, low back disability, left knee disability, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury. The evidence submitted was found to be insufficient to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and lumbar spine disability make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, so the Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete or insufficient medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions. The spine and neurological examinations are needed to clarify whether the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his active duty service, secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, or aggravated by it.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient post-service medical records and an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran's service treatment records show he was treated for various complaints of muscle strains, acute lumbar strains, and low back pain during his active duty. However, the examiner did not consider these in-service diagnoses when forming their opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations, and a new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left knee disability, finding that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims. The Board also found no link between the current disabilities and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left clavicle fracture and an upper back disability due to incomplete VA examinations and outstanding private treatment records. The Veteran is also being asked to submit any additional private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including another VA examination for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.