Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ankle fracture, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and bruxism secondary to PTSD due to lack of recent medical examination and insufficient nexus opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral elbow, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to lack of current disability or evidence that they were incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's appeals for reopening service connection, increased disability ratings, and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed these matters.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, but has remanded other issues including reopening the claim for tinnitus.,Other service connection claims have been remanded due to incomplete verification of periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease, finding that there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that a pre-existing left knee condition existed prior to service. The Board also found that the Veteran’s current left knee disability is not related to or aggravated by his service-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected back disability is being remanded due to the need for a new examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the etiology of his left knee, lumbar spine, and foot disabilities. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the right knee rating issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, and left knee degenerative joint disease were denied as new evidence did not show a relationship to service.,The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for chronic lumbar spine disorder, chronic left foot disorder, and chronic right ankle disorder as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including dental cavities, neck disorder, back disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder. The reasons given were that the evidence did not show a relationship to service or an in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to comply with a previous remand order, specifically regarding the Veteran's service treatment records that show complaints of low back pain and treatment for low back strain during his active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease was reopened. Service connection for low back disability is granted with a 40% rating, but not higher.

The Board has remanded the claim for a low back disability, finding that further examination and opinion are needed to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to service-connected bilateral foot disabilities or aggravated by them.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition is granted, and the appeal is remanded to determine if it is related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries.,Service connection was also denied for benign prostatic hypertrophy/hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms with obstruction. There was no evidence of onset during service or relationship to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative disc disease of the spine and degenerative joint disease of the left wrist are granted. The Board has remanded the cases for further examinations to determine appropriate ratings for right ear hearing loss and acid reflux/gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his low back strain with narrowing of L5-S1 disc space due to inadequate compliance with prior remand directives and the need for additional examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the appellant's current back disability is related to his period of ACDUTRA service, and whether his left leg radiculopathy is caused by or aggravated by his back disability.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the absence of treatment records, including for lumbar spine disability, gastrointestinal disability (claimed as hiatal hernia/GERD), and right knee disability. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are not considered primary causes of his current disabilities.