Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50%, migraine headaches are rated at 50%, and lumbosacral DDD, right knee cyst removal, right ear tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss are all rated at 10%. The combined rating for these conditions results in an 80% disability rating. The Veteran's appeal is denied as his PTSD does not warrant a higher than 50% rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a back condition and foot condition due to the need for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that prior to June 20, 2014, there was no evidence showing he was unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on remand and for earlier effective dates are pending. The appeal of the initial rating for coronary artery disease is also pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 23, 1998, for the grant of a TDIU rating because his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable before that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle disability, gastrointestinal disorder (claimed as gas, constipation, diarrhea), gastroesophageal reflux disease (claimed as acid reflux), back disability, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of evidence supporting a current diagnosis or etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, and neck disorders due to a lack of VA examinations in these areas. The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, hiatal hernia with GERD, and depression is denied. The case is remanded for further evaluation of the service connection for cervical radiculopathy.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is not found to have proximately caused or aggravated his bilateral hand condition. His claim for increased rating of the lumbar spine disability was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence received since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right hip and low back disabilities, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches on a presumptive basis. The cases of low back, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, right knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's back condition is related to her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after the October 2017 Statement of the Case, and the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine will be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back, sciatica in right lower extremity, and right knee disabilities are related to his service-connected left knee disability. The claims for these conditions are being remanded for further examination.

The Board has found that the VA examinations conducted in December 2018 did not substantially comply with the previous Board decision and are therefore inadequate. The matter is being remanded for further examination to determine the nature and etiology of any bilateral shoulder disability, neck disability, and/or back disability.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, left inner ear disorder, right inner ear disorder, tinea pedis with onychomycosis of the feet, and bilateral hearing loss.,There is no current evidence of any diagnosed conditions related to these issues.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbosacral spine. The Veteran needs to provide results from an audiological evaluation, and he also needs an updated examination to determine if he has left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical opinions and insufficient evidence regarding the onset of his hip and back disabilities.