Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for initial rating and service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a lower back disorder, and the Board dismissed the case.

The Veteran's low back disability, including associated radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, was granted a 20% rating effective October 29, 1998. A separate 10% rating for radiculopathy is also in effect since that date.

The Veteran's muscle and joint pain throughout the body is not related to service, as there are no objective indications of a qualifying chronic disability.,The Veteran's lower back condition is not related to service. The VA examiner opined that it is more likely due to injuries outside of service.,The Veteran's bilateral leg condition is also not related to service. The VA examiner stated that the current symptoms developed about 10 years after service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence and to obtain additional medical records. The issues include cervical spine disorder, back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and right carpal tunnel syndrome.

The appeal seeking an initial rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus is dismissed.,The appeals seeking increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss are dismissed.,New and material evidence having been received, the application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disorder is granted. The appeal seeking service connection for this condition is remanded.,New and material evidence has not been received, the application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lower back disorder is denied. The appeal seeking service connection for this condition is remanded.,Service connection for a left ankle disorder is denied. The appeal seeking service connection for this condition is remanded.,Service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, including hammer toes, hallux valgus, and degenerative arthritis, is denied. The appeal seeking service connection for this condition is remanded.

The Board denied service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further development as it may be related to his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating.,Service connection for cervical spine condition, lower back condition, pes planus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all denied due to lack of current diagnoses or causal relationship to service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorder) is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,For the period on appeal, the Veteran’s right wrist tendonitis and left wrist tendonitis have not resulted in functional limitations that warrant a higher rating than the currently assigned 10 percent ratings.

The Board has determined that further examination is necessary to properly assess the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and assign an appropriate rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The Board is requesting additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his back disorder, hypertension, right knee condition, left knee condition, right lower extremity nerve damage (secondary to right knee), and left lower extremity nerve damage (secondary to left knee).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for back problems and lumbar spondylosis, as well as his claim for service connection for sleep problems (including nightmares). The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it is attributable to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for the lumbar spine injury with degenerative joint disease was denied, and the effective date of this grant cannot be prior to October 23, 2009.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for atrial fibrillation and a compensable rating for hypertension due to the Veteran not having received a Statement of the Case.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for low back and knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his service-connected foot disability.

The Veteran's hypertension and prostate cancer are being remanded for further development.,Service connection is also being remanded for the Veteran’s knee disabilities, as well as his thoracolumbar spine disability. The effective dates of service connection will be determined based on the evidence provided during this process.,A TDIU rating is also being remanded due to the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the appellant's claim regarding the cause of her husband's death and a pending increased rating appeal for his back disability. The VA is instructed to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran’s pain from service-connected disabilities contributed to or aggravated his high blood pressure, which in turn caused his death.