Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for back disability, finding that the evidence did not show a link between the current condition and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and TBI, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal. The claims for increase and service connection remain in appellate status.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his osteopenia of lumbar spine is remanded due to the need for updated examination and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, as well as his lumbosacral strain, were denied. The Veteran was not granted a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders are being remanded for further evaluation as the evidence is insufficient to determine their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed lumbar, cervical, left shoulder, right shoulder, and left hip disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and liver disorder to include hepatitis B due to incomplete medical evidence. The appeals are now pending again with the VA.

The appeal is granted as the service connection for epilepsy is restored, and new evidence has been received to reopen claims of service connection for back condition, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, and neck condition.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and residuals of a right ankle fracture have been granted service connection.,A separate initial rating of 10 percent has been granted for the Veteran's right knee lateral instability.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations that comply with Correia v. McDonald (2016) standards, and to assess the current severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder has been reopened, and he is now entitled to a 40% rating for his lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease. The separate 20% rating for right sciatic nerve radiculopathy is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board grants his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizophrenia), a back condition, and a respiratory condition to include COPD. The claim for PTSD remains denied due to lack of evidence of an in-service stressor. Service connection for hepatitis C was not addressed as it is unrelated to the other claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, lumbar spine, groin pain, and foot disorders due to incomplete records and the need for further medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for development consistent with a recent Court holding, specifically addressing the severity and manifestations of her service-connected low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy during periods of flare-ups. The case is now pending again with the Board.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as her thoracic and lumbar spine disabilities, including scoliosis, degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine, arthritis of the thoracic spine, and bulging discs of the lumbar spine, did not have its onset during service or are otherwise related to service. Her cervical spine disability, skin disability, headaches, lower extremity paresthesia, psychiatric disability, right hip bursitis, left hip bursitis, right knee retropatellar pain syndrome, left knee arthrosis, and asthma were also denied.

The Board has decided that a new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's low back strain condition due to significant time passing since her last examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to a lack of a contemporaneous VA examination assessing his ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran claims that his left foot and lumbar spine disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining substantial gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further medical examinations and evaluations. The issues of increased initial ratings, flu residuals, allergic rhinitis, right shoulder sprain residuals, lumbar spine strain residuals, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left ankle sprain residuals, and left knee degenerative arthritis are also being remanded.