Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal, finding that his request to withdraw service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability was valid. The claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral knee disability were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected back disability and to determine if there is any additional functional loss due to flare-ups. The issue remains in appellate status as the rating decision did not fully grant the benefit sought.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the schedular criteria.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection. The low back disability is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the claims for a higher initial rating for left knee disability and an earlier effective date for low back disability due to incomplete VA examinations. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to assess the severity of his disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, but the issue of service connection for a back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim has been granted. The Board is remanding the rating claims for additional examinations to assess the functional impact of flare-ups on his knee and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disability are all granted. The claim for service connection for a left eye disability is dismissed, as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in October 2019. The claim for service connection for a right eye disability is also dismissed, with withdrawal of appeal by the Veteran in October 2019. Service connection for low back disability is granted, but remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service-connected bilateral lower extremity cold weather injuries.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with arthropathy, stenosis, DDD, IVDS, and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), both of which the Veteran contends began in service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and service connection for low back disability and left shoulder strain are denied. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability due to conflicting evidence.

The Board denied service connection for low back, neck, and left shoulder disabilities as there was no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims of earlier effective dates and initial ratings for his left knee disorder and back disorder.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hip disorder, low back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the current disabilities are related to in-service stressors and other factors.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a low back disorder, and a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis due to lack of medical opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete examinations and lack of proper consideration of Gulf War exposure. The Veteran is required to undergo a Gulf War examination to address his claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability because the injury occurred during National Guard service, which is not considered active military service for VA compensation purposes.

Service connection is granted for hemorrhoids and lumbar spine disability. Service connection is denied for left knee disorder, residuals from a head injury, and hypertension.,The Veteran's kidney conditions were not shown to have been aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The appeal was focused on whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service or a service-connected disability.