Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD and lumbar spine disability have been granted increased ratings, a TDIU has been awarded since November 16, 2014, and SMC at the housebound rate has also been granted.

The Veteran's appeal to have an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease is dismissed.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a bilateral shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, basal cell skin cancer, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar degenerative disk disease, vascular headaches and sinusitis, and TDIU due to inadequate examinations in previous rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to missing service treatment records and requests for additional information from the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle/foot disability, lumbar degenerative joint disease, and related issues due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was also denied for left lower extremity neuropathy with obturator nerve involvement as there is no direct evidence or link between the condition and service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and a headache disability. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder arthritis with impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease of lumbar spine, status post thoracolumbar spine fracture. Service connection was denied for sleep apnea.

The Board denied an increased initial disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with DDD, finding that the Veteran's condition did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating due to limitations in range of motion and functional loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased disability ratings have been denied. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DJD with mild levoscoliosis and strain did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating as it did not result in forward flexion to 60 degrees or less, combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine being 120 degrees or less, or muscle spasms or guarding resulting in an abnormal gait or contour.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service injury and granting the benefit of doubt.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings for tinnitus, back disability, bilateral pes planus, allergic rhinitis, migraines, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and degenerative changes of the right shoulder.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than January 8, 2013 for service connection and increased ratings have been denied.,Effective from December 27, 2012, the Veteran received increased ratings for post-operative laparotomy scar and a neck scar (characterized as residual scar of the head, face, or neck).

The Board has granted an initial rating of 60 percent for genital herpes simplex with condylomata acuminate, the highest available under the applicable diagnostic code. The Veteran's use of acyclovir and valvacyclovir to manage his herpes outbreaks is considered a systemic therapy that requires constant or near-constant treatment.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity as there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders, but dismissed the appeals regarding bilateral hearing loss and right ear tympanic membrane rupture. The appeal is also remanded for further examinations to determine the nature of any current right hip, right shoulder, and left wrist disorders.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's service connection and increased rating claims due to a withdrawal request in May 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee degenerative changes, left knee degenerative changes, and lumbar spine degenerative changes have been granted. The appeal to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar condition and an acquired psychiatric condition, claimed as PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service or any in-service injury, event, or disease.