Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and remanded both issues of service connection. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional medical records, including an MRI from October 2008, and a VA examination to assess his bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's hypertension rating is dismissed. The lower back disability rating is restored to 40 percent, effective June 17, 2016. Other ratings are denied.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for reopening and service connection claims due to his withdrawal of these issues during a hearing. The claim for peripheral neuropathy was reopened, but denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbosacral spine was reopened and granted, with a remand to obtain an adequate etiological opinion.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disability. The case is remanded for further development and an examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine and left ankle disability, as there is insufficient rationale provided in the VA examination reports. The Veteran needs additional opinions to address his contentions regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate March 2017 VA examination, and needs to obtain new evidence and schedule a new examination for the lumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder, diagnosed as right knee degenerative joint disease. The low back disorder and hypertension are remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's low back disorder is related to his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, tension headaches, cervical spine IVDS with DDD, LUE radiculopathy, RUE radiculopathy, and sleep disorder has been granted. The effective date of service connection is set at June 19, 2013. A rating of 50 percent for tension headaches is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and lumbar spine, and a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran was assigned a 20% disability rating for his degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee disability, PTSD, lower back disability, and TDIU. The appeal was remanded for a new VA examination regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims have been remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, particularly regarding his service connection requests. The issues include service connection for various disabilities including hepatitis C, heart, kidney, lung, back, and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities. The claim for increased ratings for lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are denied, but the Veteran is granted a separate rating of 10% for instability of the right knee.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, as he testified that it has worsened since the last examination in July 2016.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathies (sciatic) associated with lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome have been rated at 20 percent each. The Board denied an increased rating for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, right knee, left hip, and eye disabilities due to service-connected pes planus. The issues include determining if these conditions are related to service or aggravated by pes planus, as well as assessing their current severity.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent prior to October 5, 2016 and increased to 40 percent from that date. The Board finds no evidence of ankylosis or other conditions warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting bilateral flat foot disability worsened during his periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA). The issues are being remanded for VA examinations to provide opinions on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee, left knee, right hip, lower back, left ankle, and right foot disorders.