Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has vacated its May 16, 2018 decision and remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for TBI, low back pain, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition as these conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's time in service.

The Veteran's tension headaches are caused and aggravated by her service-connected anxiety disorder. The appeal for service connection for other conditions is still pending.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues of back disability, right knee disability, and bilateral flat foot (pes planus).

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, finding that it is related to his in-service injury and his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to diabetes mellitus, right knee conditions, and lumbar spine conditions. The Board dismissed the appeal as these claims were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his neck disorder and back disability. The main reasons for remand are obtaining SSA records, providing an addendum opinion on the relationship between the neck disorder and back disability, and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of the Veteran's back and radiculopathy disabilities.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability was granted. However, the claim itself remains denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current cervical spine disability and an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tumors of the feet, hypercholesterolemia, an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertension, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, and arthritis have all been denied. The effective dates are not specified as they were part of earlier rating decisions that were not appealed.

The appeal of PTSD was dismissed. A 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder is granted, and the Veteran's sleep apnea and/or sleep disturbance, left knee condition, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and lumbar strain issues are remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for VA examinations to assess the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability, finding that there is no competent evidence relating his current disability to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of upper back injury, to include wedge deformity of the ninth thoracic vertebrae and degenerative disc disease, as well as right knee disability. The Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied. From July 25, 2012 to April 24, 2013, the Veteran received a maximum 60 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability under the IVDS Rating Formula. The Veteran also received a 10 percent rating for left knee chondromalacia from July 25, 2012.

The Board has decided that a VA examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran's current lumbosacral disability is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability and rheumatoid arthritis did not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to February 10, 2010.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for conditions affecting the middle finger of the left hand, right wrist, left foot, and lumbar spine due to a lack of in-service medical records. The Veteran attributes these conditions to a motor vehicle accident during service.

The Board denied service connection for low back strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, left knee bursitis, acanthosis nigricans and dermatofibroma with seborrheic keratoses. The claim of CUE in the denial of service connection for sinusitis and epididymitis was dismissed without prejudice to refiling.,The Board found that there is no evidence linking any of these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.