Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a back disability and GERD due to inadequate medical opinions regarding aggravation. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to address these issues.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as service-connected. The lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral hand disabilities are denied as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his low back disability prior to June 14, 2011 and from June 14, 2011 to April 15, 2018. The claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for the low back disability beginning April 15, 2018 is also remanded. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, headaches, ankle and leg disabilities, knee disability, and shoulder arthritis, were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and tinnitus, both of which are presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to loud noise during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and missing National Guard service records. The Veteran's low back disability is being reviewed again for a new medical opinion.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left hip, right hip, and low back disabilities. The claims are being remanded for this purpose.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various injuries, including bilateral eye scars, cervical spine injury, left and right knee injuries, lumbar spine injury, and right hip injury. The claims are being returned to VA for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back condition, finding that it was not incurred during active service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, status-post hemilaminectomy and discectomy, and chronic left L-5 radiculopathy were denied as the evidence did not show incapacitating episodes or unfavorable ankylosis of the spine.,The Veteran was not granted a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, status-post hemilaminectomy and discectomy, due to lack of evidence of incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition was reopened and granted. The September 1993 rating decision denying service connection is also revised.

The Board has granted a separate rating of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's low back strain has not improved under the conditions of daily life, and her claim for a higher evaluation is remanded. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of residuals of status post external meatotomy and prostatitis, as well as DDD of the lumbar spine. The claims were reopened in August 2010 based on new evidence, but the original denial decisions remain unchanged.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of TMJ, as well as examinations for left sided sciatica, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, right ankle sprain with instability, sinusitis, status post lumbar spine scar, and spermatocele, status post vasectomy. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and examination.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, and low back disability as the evidence did not show a direct relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for low back and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability. The Veteran will need to undergo new VA examinations to assess her current functional limitations and etiology of her psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion on the Veteran's TDIU claim to clarify his work history as a military contractor.