Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

Service connection for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus is denied.,A rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected migraine headaches is denied, with the reduction from 30 percent to 10 percent being improper and the 30 percent rating restored.,The effective date for service-connected lumbar spine disability remains October 16, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional medical records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a left leg disability and a back disability (including as secondary to the service-connected left leg disability). Service connection for a bilateral knee condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for left wrist, low back, and right knee disabilities have been denied. A separate rating of 10% has been granted for the portion of his service-connected right knee disability manifested by slight instability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral knee disability, finding new and material evidence. The claims for back disability and sleep apnea remain denied.,A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran’s sleep apnea was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability characterized as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with lower left extremity radiculopathy, and spondylolisthesis. The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine injury with degenerative joint disease and S1 radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all claims related to pes planus, lumbar stenosis, tinnitus, and other service-connected conditions. The appeals are dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a right-hand disorder, liver condition (including alcoholic hepatitis), low back disorder, neck disorder, and left-hand disorder. The appeals were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine due to new and material evidence. However, the issue is remanded as there are conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the current condition is related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD and related disabilities have been granted a 70% disability rating, TDIU status, and special monthly compensation based on housebound status.

The Board has granted service connection for loss of use of both lower extremities due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, effective from June 2018. The appeal for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of extremities is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 9, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back condition, finding that the evidence did not support a link between his current disability and an in-service injury or event.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disc herniation and spur formation at L4-5 and L5-S1, finding that the most probative evidence showed forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for back disability, right knee disability, and migraine headaches due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's complete STRs need to be obtained from all possible repositories.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for back, bilateral hips, and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions. The claims for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension are also remanded as there is inadequate VA examination reports.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his left hip, low back strain, and left ankle disabilities. The Board found that these conditions existed prior to service and were not aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of penile deformity, which is required for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7522. The Veteran’s low back disorder claim is remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding its relationship to service-connected disabilities.