Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and residuals of a head injury disabilities. However, further development is needed as VA examinations are required to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease during service or within one year after separation. The Board also found the Veteran's statements regarding in-service back pain to be uncredible and insufficient to establish service connection.

The Veteran's anxiety and service connection for hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure) are granted. The restoration of evaluations for various knee conditions, including trochanteric bursitis and patellofemoral arthritis, is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment from April 11, 2014 to November 6, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to unclear records regarding when functional ankylosis began, inadequate VA examination reports, and the need for additional medical opinions on the etiology of his disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic back condition during or within one year after active service and concluding that any current lumbar spine disability is more likely related to aging and previous employment rather than in-service injury.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including those related to insomnia disorder, erectile dysfunction, chronic fatigue syndrome, blackout spells, DDD of the cervical spine, pinched nerve as secondary to DDD of the cervical spine, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's hypertension claim is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for right leg length shortening and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The claims are being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and likely cause of any diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The claims for initial ratings for right ankle strain, left ankle tendonitis, and lumbosacral strain (IVDS) are granted with specific disability ratings. The claim for a compensable rating for the service-connected left ankle scar is denied. The claims for initial ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerves remain pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and right shoulder disabilities due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. However, these claims are still remanded as further development is needed including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a medical examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed thoracolumbar disability and bilateral ankle disability. The appellant is requested to provide any available records related to the Veteran's 2012 low back injury, and an addendum medical opinion is needed to address the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back pain, neck pain, lumbar disc degeneration radiculopathy, and left-sided hemiparesis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and etiology opinions.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, depression, and low back disorder have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The cases are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative disc disease and spondylosis of the cervical spine is granted, as well as his secondary service connection claim for radiculopathy of the upper extremities due to this condition.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU rating prior to March 24, 2010 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for back, neck, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to incomplete records. The Veteran's Social Security Administration disability benefits records and VA treatment records from the Columbus CBOC prior to 2001 need to be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 26, 2016, for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that prior to February 26, 2016, the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU and there was insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that he was unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder and whether it is related to her service-connected disabilities or medications used to treat these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD and entitlement to a TDIU have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for low back disorder, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected back disability due to inadequate examination and failure to provide adequate reasons and bases.