Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee and lumbar spine conditions, finding that these conditions were caused by his service-connected right ankle condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, lumbar spine condition, right knee condition, prostate cancer, and residuals of bladder cancer due to asbestos exposure. The issues are being returned to the AOJ for further review with consideration of new evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the Veteran not having hearing loss for VA purposes. The claims for service connection of other conditions are remanded as there is insufficient evidence and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left lumbar radiculopathy is granted. The claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected. The low back disability is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded four issues: service connection for a back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, drug abuse, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD).

The Board dismissed the appeal of the denial of service connection for a left knee disability and reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disability. The case is remanded to schedule an examination to determine if the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is granted with application of equitable tolling. The rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is increased to 40 percent, effective from November 19, 2008. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are denied. A TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are being remanded due to the failure of VA to contact him at his new address in Georgia. The examinations scheduled for June 2018 have not been conducted, and a copy of the Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) was sent to two prior addresses in South Carolina.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (to include paranoid schizophrenia and polysubstance abuse disorder) and low back stenosis have been granted. The issues regarding the initial ratings for cervical stenosis, left upper extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder disability, left hip arthritis, right hip arthritis, hearing loss, and hypertension are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, right knee disability, and left knee disability are all granted. The Board affirms the grant of service connection for a lower back disability based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and right inguinal hernia were not rated higher than 10 percent. The left inguinal hernia was remanded for further review, while TDIU prior to June 21, 2017, was denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be causally related to service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's pain during and after his deployment to Iraq is related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, blurred vision, left-ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. Service connection was granted for right-ear hearing loss.,Service connection for lumbar spine disorder was denied due to lack of evidence showing a link between the condition and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to comply with VA examination requirements.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions regarding his lumbar spine, left hand, skin condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to insufficient evidence in the record, including discrepancies between VA examiner findings and private physician diagnoses. The Veteran will be afforded another examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current heart disability, as well as initial evaluations for his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities and migraine headaches.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, low back disability, and cervical spine disability. The RO denied these claims previously but new evidence has been submitted that relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's low back disability during periods of flare-ups, requiring a new VA examination.