Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for mechanical low back pain and peripheral vestibular disorders (dizziness) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic oral antral sinus fistula.,Service connection was not granted for either condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of consideration of certain theories of service connection, particularly regarding herbicide exposure. The Veteran's low back condition and peripheral neuropathy are being reviewed for possible connections to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability and entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded because of inadequate medication examinations that did not properly address the impact of the Veteran’s reported flare-ups in his determination of an increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that there is no evidence linking the current condition to service. The Veteran's STRs show some injuries during service but no ongoing issues were noted until years after discharge.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a back disability, and a bilateral wrist disability. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations in order to determine if her conditions are related to service.

The Board has dismissed all the claims for service connection due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete STRs and need for new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, which required a total knee arthroplasty in December 2014, is as likely as not caused by his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased disability ratings have been withdrawn. The Board has also dismissed the appeal of his earlier effective date claim for tinea pedis.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability and a sciatic nerve disability, right lower extremity as the appellant's periods of service were under other than honorable conditions due to his Bad Conduct Discharge.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine with compression L1 and retrolisthesis L2 and L3, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between the current disability and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and his military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc and facet arthritis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the awards of a 20 percent rating for service-connected low back disability and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability. However, both claims are remanded due to the need for updated medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a dental disorder, anxiety, and back disability are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of updated regulations.

The Veteran's hypertension has not been manifested by diastolic pressure of predominantly 100 or more or systolic blood pressure predominantly 160 or more and the medical evidence shows that it has otherwise been controlled with medication.,There is no competent medical evidence to show that the Veteran’s headaches were caused by active service. The Board does not discern a direct causal relationship between her headaches and active service.

The Board has denied service connection for a right knee disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine. The case is now pending with instructions to obtain updated VA treatment records and provide an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between current low back issues and service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, neck, and skin disabilities. The low back disability is presumed related to service due to continuity of symptoms since service. The neck disability is presumed related to service as arthritis developed during the first post-service year. The skin disability is presumed related to service as a fungal infection affecting hands in service persisted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and has reopened his claim for service connection for a low back disability. The issue of remanding for further development regarding the low back disability is noted.

The Board has determined that additional records are needed to determine the Veteran's service connection claims, including for his acquired psychiatric disorder and skin disorders. The claims of back disorder, left knee disorder, bilateral foot disorder, cold injury residuals in the upper thigh area, and pediculosis pubis have been remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case is now remanded for further evaluation.