Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders, but dismissed the appeals regarding bilateral hearing loss and right ear tympanic membrane rupture. The appeal is also remanded for further examinations to determine the nature of any current right hip, right shoulder, and left wrist disorders.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's service connection and increased rating claims due to a withdrawal request in May 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee degenerative changes, left knee degenerative changes, and lumbar spine degenerative changes have been granted. The appeal to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar condition and an acquired psychiatric condition, claimed as PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service or any in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder, lumbosacral strain, and left knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation. Additionally, the issue of secondary service connection for right knee osteoarthritis is also being remanded.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome and right hip condition are granted service connection. The Veteran's back condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, undiagnosed musculoskeletal disease (claimed as muscle pain and joint problems), and neurological problems manifested by in part by memory loss, cognitive difficulties, and excess fatigability are denied service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a need for another VA examination to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his back pain since service.

The appeals of the issues of an increased rating for a lumbosacral spine disorder and service connection for ulcers, as associated with PTSD disorder are dismissed. The appeal to reopen a previously denied and final claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for arthritis, chronic lumbar pain, severely damaged feet, and a psychiatric disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when evaluated in association with his educational attainment and occupational experience, preclude gainful employment. The Board grants entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities (TDIU) effective November 4, 2012.

The Veteran is granted an annual VA clothing allowance for the year 2017 due to his use of a low back brace (L0455) that causes wear and tear on his shirts.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected back and heart disorders are being remanded due to outstanding medical records. She is seeking earlier effective dates for the 20 and 30 percent disability ratings.

The Veteran's initial ratings for Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine and PTSD have been denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip disorder, right hip disorder, and face plate pain have been dismissed. The Veteran's TBI has been granted with a rating of 40 percent from February 2, 2012 to December 28, 2014, and denied for higher ratings thereafter. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has also been granted with a rating of 40 percent from February 2, 2012 to December 28, 2014, and denied for higher ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination to assess the Veteran's employability status.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted a 50% rating. The psychiatric and low back disability claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's asthma claim is reopened and granted.,Obstructive sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (generalized anxiety disorder), bilateral hip condition, eye condition, and headache condition are all granted as secondary to service-connected pneumoconiosis.,Low back and neck conditions are denied.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral SNHL is denied.,An effective date prior to November 15, 2013 for the grant of a 10 percent disability rating for bilateral SNHL and an effective date prior to November 15, 2013 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus are both denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and a rating of 10% was assigned for his left ankle strain. The effective date remains prior to October 4, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, neurocognitive disorder, left foot condition, status post right foot infection, allergic rhinitis, chronic bronchitis, degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the left elbow, degenerative joint disease of the right elbow, degenerative joint disease of the left hand, degenerative joint disease of the left hip, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, degenerative joint disease of the left ankle, and degenerative joint disease of the right ankle have been reopened. The Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition and lower back condition were not reopened.