Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2020

The Veteran's mood disorder with depressive features is granted as secondary to his service-connected right ankle sprain and post-surgical procedure residuals. The other issues are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability (other than osteoporosis), joint and muscle pain, and skin disability to include alopecia and dermatitis. The Veteran's back disability is not considered proximately due to or aggravated by his previously service-connected sickle cell anemia.,Joint and muscle pain is considered a symptom of the Veteran’s previously service-connected sickle cell anemia.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back condition related to service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder manifested by neurological symptoms of the left lower extremity, including a lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy, finding that there was no evidence to support direct service connection and noting that the presumption of herbicide exposure did not apply.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder and its relationship to service. The case is now pending for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder, and left carpal tunnel.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's unspecified trauma-related disorder is granted service connection. The claims for irritable bowel syndrome, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, and low back disorder are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected major depression caused him to become obese, and if so, whether obesity was a substantial factor in causing his current mid-back disability.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and has remanded the remaining issues including increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, degenerative disc disease, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and TDIU.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck condition, specifically cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), finding that there is at least an equipoise of evidence in favor of the claim and thus granting service connection based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for thrombocytopenia and lumbosacral strain were dismissed due to his death.

The Board has found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of his right hand disability, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), low back disability, bilateral pes planus, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of DDD of the lumbar spine due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for a VA opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's DDD.

The Board denied an initial schedular rating in excess of 10 percent for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's symptomatology does not more nearly approximate flexion to 60 degrees or less or combined range of motion to 120 degrees or less.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to outstanding private treatment records and a need for retrospective medical opinions regarding previous VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic back condition during or one year after separation from active duty. The Board also found that the Veteran's current back disorder is more likely due to aging and not related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding whether the Veteran's Statement in Support of Claim, received May 30, 2015, is a valid Notice of Disagreement (NOD) because it found that new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the March 2015 rating decision. The issue is moot as the March 2015 rating decision did not become final.

The Board has denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral leg condition, low back condition, and bilateral ankle condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and a low back disability. The case is remanded as new evidence received since the April 2011 rating decision supports these claims. A VA examination will be scheduled to determine if the current psychiatric disorders are related to service.