Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and a higher rating for PTSD is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, a cervical spine disorder, and right knee degenerative joint disease status post total arthroplasty. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, 'back' disability, right ankle degenerative changes, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and migraine headaches. The claims are granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for an upper back disability and eye disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is rated at 40 percent, and he was granted separate ratings for LLE and RLE radiculopathy prior to May 8, 2017. The Board also found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded substantial gainful employment, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine and complex chronic low back pain syndrome, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted from February 13, 2009 due to his service-connected lumbosacral strain and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the lack of VA treatment records from Central Arkansas VAMC. The Board requests that these records be obtained and reviewed.

The Board denied service connection for right and left ankle conditions, right and left knee conditions, back condition, residuals of TBI, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 5, 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete consideration of additional evidence and failure to provide a Statement of the Case. The issues include service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, cervical spine disability, hypertension, lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current back condition and his service. The Veteran is requested to provide additional medical opinions or records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his left knee disability. The Veteran must be provided a new VA examination to address whether his current left knee disability is related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and tinnitus. Bilateral hearing loss, fibrous dysplasia of the left nasal cavity, and headaches are remanded due to incomplete information.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating due to surgery requiring convalescence for his service-connected back disability is granted, as he required six weeks of convalescence following two surgeries.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to missing documents in his electronic claims file. The AOJ is required to locate and upload any missing documentation, including a March 2003 rating decision, VA Form 21-4138 received January 28, 2008, claim to reopen filed on February 26, 2010; a March 7, 1978 treatment record from Herbert Thomas Hospital; a VA Medical Center Shreveport treatment record from September 15, 2006; a letter of inquiry from Senator Landrieu, and a newspaper article entitled 'VA Vows to End Backlog.'

The Veteran's left hip disability is denied service connection. Service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine results in a 20% evaluation prior to August 9, 2016 and a 40% evaluation from that date forward. The Veteran's radiculopathy of both lower extremities associated with his lumbar spine disability is also granted at 20%. A TDIU for the period from September 1, 2007 to September 18, 2017 is granted.

The Board denied service connection for back, hip, knee, and leg disorders as they were not incurred during active duty or due to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in prior VA examinations and lack of consideration of all relevant medical data.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for cervical strain and lumbar disc herniation due to inadequate medical opinions in the May 2017 VA examinations.