Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder is granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a vestibular disorder (claimed as dizziness) is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and BPH (claimed as prostate cancer) due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions began during or are otherwise related to his military service. The claim for service connection for a lower back condition is remanded for further development.,The VA examiner was reluctant to accept the Veteran's report of a twisting injury in service, leading to the need for an addendum opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lower back disability, left and right ankle conditions, residuals of a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, and left ear hearing loss due to potential issues with the sufficiency or reliability of the VA examinations. The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are currently rated at 20% and 40%, respectively. The Board finds that the current ratings adequately reflect his symptoms as described in the rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. Effective dates earlier than the assigned dates are not granted as there is no evidence of intent to file a claim prior to those dates.,An effective date earlier than November 6, 2014 for PTSD, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and hypertension is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, left hip disorder, and left sciatica due to incomplete STRs and the need for VA examinations. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence related to his hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (depression combined with the back disabilities as well as depression and back disabilities combined with the sleep apnea) preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, effective February 22, 2018.

The Board denied a rating more than 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) superimposed on congenital malformation (low back disability) for the period prior to June 18, 2013.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants no greater than a Level I rating for each ear under Table VI.,Entitlement to increases in the ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee limitation of extension, and right knee impairment is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination results and the need for updated treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee, lumbar spine, and neck disabilities due to incomplete medical history and lack of objective evidence.,Further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. Service connection for a low back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability is granted. The Board also remanded the issues of increased rating for low back disability and TDIU based on the same issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for low back disorder, burn scars of the ankles, and left varicocele due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for back, right and left knee disorders, as well as hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the RO not readjudicating it after an additional VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar stenosis. The appellant needs to provide authorization for VA to obtain updated records from private providers and an advisory opinion is needed to determine if the condition was incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including low back disability, radiculopathy of the left lower sciatic nerve, left hip or thigh disability, right hip or thigh disability, and right knee disability, are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is not rated higher than 30 percent.,Prior to March 16, 2018, the Veteran’s degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder was rated at 10 percent; since then, it has been rated at 20 percent. The left shoulder condition remains at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was initially rated as noncompensable but is now rated at 20 percent; his cervical spine condition has been rated at 10 percent since March 16, 2018.,Left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right hip strain with osteoarthritis have both been rated at 10 percent. The left hip strain conditions are each rated at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter for limited flexion.,The Veteran's right hip strain with osteoarthritis has a separate noncompensable evaluation for limitation of flexion.