Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for extraschedular TDIU consideration due to the Veteran's thoracic spine disability impacting his ability to work. The rating for the thoracic spine disability remains denied.

The Board denied service connection for a left hip disability and back disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his in-service activities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left foot and right foot disabilities, lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy of the lower extremities, as well as increased ratings for these conditions. The appeals are currently on appeal due to outstanding VA treatment records that need to be obtained.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities is denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is denied due to lack of credible evidence linking his mental health condition to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is denied because there is no current diagnosis and the medical records do not indicate an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis and lack of credible evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for diabetes mellitus remains at 20 percent, with the requirement of regulation of activities not met.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for diabetic retinopathy status post bilateral cataracts removal is remanded as there is no current visual field impairment data provided.

The Veteran's right foot and leg nerve damage, as well as his back disorder, are not considered to be caused by the March 2011 surgery performed at Phoenix VA HCS. The decision is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for various issues related to his spine, wrist, and hip conditions due to new evidence submitted after a previous decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder are denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for these conditions as secondary to service-connected residuals of frostbite.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine have been denied as his disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, initial ratings for service-connected lumbar strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right shoulder tendonitis, as well as a compensable rating for migraines, were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected lumbosacral strain was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for cervical strain was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew their appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a right foot disability and a back disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back, left ankle, and right knee conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than what was currently assigned.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the spine was denied, and his claim for a 30 percent rating for right ankle degenerative arthritis was granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, right leg sciatica, and left leg sciatica due to inadequate development in a previous remand. The Veteran's lay testimony and medical records indicate he experienced back pain following service and during post-service visits. A new opinion is needed from an orthopedist regarding the etiology of his current diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, anxiety disorder, headaches, sleep apnea, shoulder strain, vertigo, back issues, sciatica, and nerve damage in the upper extremities, were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of current disability for some conditions (e.g., left ear hearing loss) or insufficient symptoms to warrant higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to outstanding records from Korea. The Veteran's service treatment records are incomplete and need to be obtained directly from the Army base in Korea where he was stationed.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee on a direct basis, finding that these conditions are as likely as not attributable to in-service injuries sustained while parachuting.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues currently before the Board, including those related to increased ratings and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability beyond that of cervical strain, including degenerative disc disease, cervical radiculopathy, and arthritis due to conflicting opinions on the etiology of his condition. The case is now pending with instructions to obtain an adequate opinion considering the Veteran's lay statements regarding symptoms prior to 1987.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disability and back disability to obtain new VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.