Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, including degenerative disc disease, has been reopened. The case is being remanded to determine the nature and likely etiology of his neck disability and whether it is related to service or his service-connected back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed back disorder, including service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran is requested to provide additional information or documentation.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and clarification of the medical opinions provided, as they do not address all theories of entitlement raised by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for cause of death due to new and material evidence. However, the case is remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to military service, and the character of his discharge from his second period of service is not a bar to VA benefits.,Service connection for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and scars are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the criteria for higher ratings were not met, except for a March 29, 2013 effective date for service connection of right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with IVDS and cervical strain, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and active military service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as the Veteran did not meet the minimum degree of hearing loss required for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that the reduction in ratings for migraines, major depressive disorder, neck disability, lumbar strain with degenerative changes/arthritis, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome was improper. The Veteran's original ratings are restored.

The Veteran's left knee and headache disabilities are being remanded for further development. The upper back disability is also being remanded, but the appeal does not involve service connection.

The Board has decided to remand four of the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and one for service connection due to outdated examination reports. The Veteran will need new examinations for his bipolar disorder, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and foot disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, sleep apnea, or chronic fatigue syndrome. The back and bilateral flat feet conditions are also not supported by the evidence as being related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, back injury, and bilateral knee disabilities (PFS). The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered direct findings of his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for his DDD of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence did not support ankylosis or intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS).

The Veteran's right knee strain is granted service connection, but her left knee strain, hysterectomy, and chronic low back pain are denied.

The Board has remanded the claim for a low back disability due to insufficient evidence regarding its origin in service. The Veteran's representative requested an additional medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her back and left ankle conditions, rendered her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to October 9, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for a stomach disability, left ankle disability, and low back disability. The Veteran's claims were also remanded for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities.,No specific rating was assigned in the decision.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder, right knee arthritis, and left knee pain. The Veteran's current conditions are diagnosed as degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and other issues are being remanded due to procedural errors in the rating decisions, including failure to provide a Statement of the Case (SOC) and incomplete records. The Veteran is also requested to provide SSA records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to additional evidence added after a previous SSOC was issued.