Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for a compensable rating for the right foot disability, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for back, knee, ankle, and left foot conditions due to new evidence received after the November 2019 statement of the case.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a heart condition was denied, and his increased disability rating claim for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, rendered him unable to secure or maintain a substantially gainful occupation from February 22, 2011 to January 31, 2012. The Board granted entitlement to a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has found that the claims for right knee, left knee, bilateral foot, indigestion (GERD and functional gastrointestinal disorder), and low back disabilities must be considered on their merits due to additional relevant service records being added after the initial denial. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, particularly related to exposure to harmful chemicals during military service. The claims are now pending and will be reviewed again with further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to failure to comply with previous remand directives. The TBI claim requires a new VA examination, while the increased rating claims need rescheduling.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's initial claim for a 20% disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims of service connection for back disorder and right ankle disorder have been reopened, but denied due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between the disorders and active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for migraine headaches, lumbosacral spine disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity due to in-service exposure to environmental hazards. The Veteran's service connection claim is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for tinnitus, PTSD, and hypertension are denied. Service connection for a back disorder, tension headaches, and vertigo is also denied.,An initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck and right shoulder conditions, as well as his claim for a low back condition. The appeals were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, specifically regarding a VA examination that addressed evidence of lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and its relationship to service-connected lumbar strain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding records and inconsistencies in her testimony regarding exposure during service. The claims will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and major depressive disorder have been granted, with a 70% rating for the latter. The TDIU claim has also been granted.

The VA has awarded a 30 percent rating for cervical spine disability effective May 25, 2016. The appellant's claim was received within one year of the Intent to File.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including private medical records. The VA will also obtain updated treatment records and ask the Veteran to provide any missing relevant records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability and/or caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic headaches, right shoulder bursitis, thoracolumbar spine osteoarthritis, left shoulder bursitis (prior to March 18, 2015), knee arthritis, hand degenerative joint disease, ankle strains, and cervical osteoarthritis, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to September 22, 2017. The Board granted the Veteran's TDIU claim based on this evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is rated at 20 percent, but he contends it is more severe. The Board finds the record incomplete and remands for additional medical records to be obtained.