Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and frostbite residuals of the left knee due to incomplete STRs, lack of consideration of lay statements, and need for further medical opinions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder and remanded the issue due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal due to the reinstatement of his TDIU, leaving no issues for review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability is granted, but the appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims in a written statement.

Your claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities has been granted, effective June 13, 2012. However, the full benefit sought (a TDIU) was already granted in your favor before you filed this appeal.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and back disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected degenerative joint disease with annular tear of the lumbar spine and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and right knee disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been granted, and he is now eligible for a TDIU. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, right eye condition, depression, bilateral foot condition, right knee condition, left shoulder condition, left hip condition, left elbow condition, left knee condition, erectile dysfunction, low back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been resolved.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder is granted as service connected. The cervical spine, bilateral foot, tinnitus, and thoracolumbar strain issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claim of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent from January 7, 2014, in excess of 40 percent from September 23, 2014, and in excess of 20 percent from November 21, 2016 for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for residuals of a head injury, back disability, bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral hand arthritis, and bilateral hip disabilities require additional development to obtain relevant medical records and determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's right and left ear hearing loss, as well as degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, are granted. The calcaneal spurs of both feet receive a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for mechanical low back pain and arthroscopy of the right knee were denied. The rating for mechanical low back pain was denied as it did not meet the criteria for an increased rating under Diagnostic Code 5242, while the rating for arthroscopy of the right knee was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease, right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to comply with a recent Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims (Court) opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, eye disorder, deviated nasal septum, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to outstanding service treatment records and a need for an examination to determine if the Veteran's back disorder is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and clarification of his conditions, particularly regarding the extent of impairment in his right leg.