Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of her thoracolumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative disc disease and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder may be related to his military service and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as secondary to her service-connected disabilities. The remaining claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional consideration regarding flare-ups of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, as per the holding in Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disorder. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, but the issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, open angle glaucoma, and a bilateral leg disorder have been remanded due to incomplete examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a low back disorder, and the VA will need to schedule an examination to determine if his current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is denied.,Service connection for COPD is denied.,Service connection for hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for a left ankle condition is denied.,Service connection for sterility is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, left arm neuropathy, and low back disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and low back injury due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining new medical opinions.

The Board has determined that there is at least a 50% chance the Veteran's lumbar spine condition began during service or was caused by an in-service injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence after the May 2018 denial. The AOJ is required to readjudicate the claims and provide appropriate VA examinations.

This decision denies the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for diverticulitis, an earlier effective date for the 70 percent rating for residuals of traumatic brain injury with unspecified anxiety disorder, and an earlier effective date for the 20 percent rating for low back disability. The Board found that there was no evidence showing an increase in severity within one year prior to July 5, 2018.

The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability has been denied, with the effective date set at December 27, 2011.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for hemorrhoids and has remanded the issue of service connection for spinal disability.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability ratings for cervical spine DJD, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, anterior crural nerve radiculopathy, and major depressive disorder to their prior levels from December 23, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been reopened and is being remanded to determine the validity of the reported stressors.,The Veteran's claim for a left knee disability has been reopened and is being remanded to attempt to corroborate the reported stressor.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, cataracts, and hypertension. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder and left eye disorder due to incomplete records and unverified in-service incidents.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to service or secondary to his service-connected heel spurs. The VA examiner’s opinion was found inadequate and further examination is required.