Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and a bilateral knee disorder due to procedural complexities and the need for further development.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 60 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating allowed. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted and grants the TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability, but denied service connection for his bilateral shoulder condition and neck condition. The case is remanded for further development regarding a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back condition, finding that there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology from separation from service regarding this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left hip disorder, plantar fasciitis, cervical spine/neck disorder, and lower back disorder due to conflicting evidence regarding current diagnoses.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for a lumbar spine disorder and PFB.

The claim for service connection of low back and cervical spine disabilities has been remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The claim for TDIU is also being returned to the RO for initial adjudication.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for right shoulder disability, back disability, and neck disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is also required to be examined for her lower extremity radiculopathy and CTS.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no service connection decision could be made.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hip, right knee, and low back disabilities with radiculopathy due to potential issues with obtaining private treatment records and considering relevant STRs.

The Board has found that a remand is necessary to obtain potentially outstanding records, including SSA disability benefits and medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is also remanded due to the possibility of exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Korea and Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder arthritis and low back degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service injuries. The decision is based on the continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a back disorder. However, it denied the claim as there is no evidence that the current disability is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that his current lumbar spine disabilities were not related to his active service. The evidence showed he had an acute myositis of the low back in 1956 which resolved without residual findings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder claim should be remanded for further development and an opinion regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, right hip, left hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, and right foot disabilities are remanded for further development. The Veteran's heart disorder, hypertension, and Parkinson's disease claims are also remanded.

The Board previously denied a higher initial rating for the Veteran's low back disability and granted separate 10 percent ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Court ordered remand due to inadequate previous examinations, including those related to the current severity of the orthopedic manifestations of the low back disability.

Service connection for low back strain has been granted.,Service connection for sleep apnea (secondary to service-connected schizophrenia and depressive disorder) has been denied.

The Board has found that the appellant's claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is not warranted due to a lack of continuous total disability rating for at least 10 years prior to death and was not rated as totally disabled continuously since release from active duty. The appeal regarding service connection for cause of death has been remanded.

The Veteran's ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, sciatic nerve sensory deficit of the left lower extremity, and sciatic nerve sensory deficit of the right lower extremity were reduced from their previous levels. The reductions are denied as proper.