Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2021

The Veteran's lumbar strain and bilateral pes cavus claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a lack of evidence showing that his low back disorder resulted from carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA in providing medical treatment.

The Board denied service connection for multiple myeloma, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary infarct/embolism, and low back condition as secondary to the Veteran's claimed in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.,Service connection was not established under any criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and left ankle disabilities are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied service connection for back and right or left foot disabilities, as well as claims for increased ratings for cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, chondromalacia of the knee, and instability in the knees. The claim for TDIU prior to August 11, 2014 was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right ankle sprain and thoracolumbar spine strain were denied as their current disability levels do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's attorney withdrawing his appeals for several issues.,The Veteran's appeal was also dismissed for service connection claims related to an undiagnosed illness, fibromyalgia, a right knee disability, and a back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, low back disability, bilateral foot arthritis with hallux valgus, and benign prostatic hypertrophy (claimed as prostate condition) have been granted. The claim for service connection for trench foot has been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by him and a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining SSA records. The VA hearing loss claim is also remanded as there was no VA examination provided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by him and a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining SSA records. The VA hearing loss claim is also remanded as there was no VA examination provided.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of August 7, 2009 for both TDIU and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits. The Veteran's combined evaluation of his service-connected disabilities as of August 7, 2009, was 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and the Veteran's lumbar degenerative arthritis of the spine needs further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for low back disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and an opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed foot conditions, as the current examination does not adhere to the correct legal standard in addressing whether they were aggravated beyond their natural progression during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by him and a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining SSA records. The VA hearing loss claim is also remanded as there was no VA examination provided.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that his symptoms have been continuous since service and meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has granted service connection for scoliosis and degenerative arthritis of the spine, but denied service connection for residuals of surgical removal of a spinal cord tumor due to syringomyelia. The Board found that the Veteran's scoliosis is acquired rather than congenital, and that his symptoms of spine arthritis were chronic in service and continuous since separation.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's back disability, including thoracic spine scoliosis and thoracolumbar spine arthritis, is granted as service connected. The conditions are considered to be directly related to his military service.