Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability as there is no current diagnosis and no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, lower back disorder, TBI residuals, migraine headaches, PTSD, and acquired psychiatric condition to include anxiety and depression are not related to service. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, low back disability, and hearing loss in the right ear due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his reported symptoms during service.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatica is granted an initial 40 percent evaluation, but no higher. The lumbosacral strain with osteoarthritis, thoracic spine remains rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hand disorder, neck disorder, and lumbar spine disorder were denied as not related to service or service-connected conditions. The claim for left knee disorder was reopened due to new evidence linking it to his right knee disability.,The Veteran's right ankle disorder was granted based on the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected back disability is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for the low back condition and remanded the issue of increased rating for unspecified depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent evaluation for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy from May 13, 2010 to August 21, 2017 was granted.,The Veteran's claims for evaluations in excess of 20 percent for service-connected lumbosacral strain prior to and after August 22, 2017 were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disabilities, left achilles tendonitis, bilateral foot disabilities, sleep apnea, and GERD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's application to reopen a claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy was granted. The rating for chronic bronchitis remains at noncompensable (0%). Service connection for a sleep disorder other than apnea is remanded.,Effective dates prior to October 15, 2015 were denied for cervical strain, right knee arthritis with meniscal tear and patella chondromalacia, and tinnitus service connection claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. The Board has found new and material evidence to support the reopening of these claims.,The Veteran is granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a rating of 20 percent for chronic thoracolumbar strain with osteoarthritis prior to April 14, 2017 is dismissed as the issue has already been adjudicated in his increased rating claim.

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claims for bilateral knee condition, neck condition, back condition, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was granted. The issues of service connection for meningitis, headaches, a disability of the male reproductive system, and a neurological or musculoskeletal condition associated with diffuse pain were also addressed and are remanded.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on March 30, 2015 for acute bronchitis and low back pain are granted as there is no feasible VA facility available that morning.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, left hip strain, and psychiatric disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and occupational experience from September 28, 2017. The TDIU is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability and granted it, finding that his current low back disability is etiologically related to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in imaging and need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and assessments of his thoracolumbar spine, left hip, and left ankle conditions.

The Board has granted the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for lower back disorder and depression, but has remanded both issues due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied prior to August 3, 2016 and remanded for further evaluation of his TDIU claim from August 3, 2016 to August 16, 2018.