Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was rated at 40 percent from January 25, 2010 to June 13, 2012. The appeal is denied as the rating in excess of 40 percent is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues of service connection for a low back disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), increased disability evaluations for traumatic arthritis of the right knee and left knee, and an increased disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for heart attacks, hypertension, and neurological manifestations of thoracolumbar spine disability are remanded. Individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted as service connected, with no assigned rating and effective date not specified.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination for the claimed low back condition, and it is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for lumbar spine disability, right knee conditions, and SMC based on housebound status are denied. The Board has remanded the issues of initial evaluations for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, lumbar spine disability, neck disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (unspecified depressive disorder and severe alcohol use disorder) have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any current disabilities related to his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and lumbar spondylosis have resulted in a TDIU, with the effective date being September 27, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition, neck condition, and headaches (secondary to neck condition) due to inadequate VA opinions. The claims will be reviewed again with new evidence and opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and ratings related to various disabilities have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

Service connection for a low back injury and arthritis is denied.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure in the Korean DMZ is denied.,Service connection for a sinus condition and COPD (claimed as asthma) due to herbicide exposure in the Korean DMZ is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking the condition to active duty. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding a back disability claimed as osteoarthritis and/or degenerative joint disease, with an emphasis on lead exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, and left ankle disabilities are inadequate. Therefore, these issues have been remanded to obtain updated clinical records and a new orthopedic examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, right elbow, bilateral knee, and left foot disorders have been denied.,There is no evidence of a nexus between the current diagnoses and active duty service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left leg sciatica and lumbar spondylosis were restored, while other conditions remained unchanged or denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder, upper back, and lower neck disabilities, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to a March 1964 in-service fall.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and hemorrhoids due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,There is no indication that the Veteran experienced any symptoms or received treatment for either condition during his active duty, nor are there any post-service medical records connecting these disabilities to his time in service.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for a lumbar spine strain prior to August 24, 2010 is granted at 20 percent. From December 6, 2011, to February 20, 2014, the Veteran is rated at 40 percent for his lumbar spine strain. A rating in excess of 40 percent for a lumbar spine strain from February 21, 2014, is denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, lumbar spine, right elbow, right knee, skin, and hemorrhoids disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their current severity. The Veteran's sinusitis claim is also being remanded as the VA examiner did not provide a clear opinion regarding whether his condition had its onset in service or was otherwise etiologically related to active service.