Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board previously denied service connection for a low back disability, but the Court granted a JMPR to remand this issue due to an error in not considering the presumption for combat veterans.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease and arthritis, is related to his in-service injury. As a result, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability have been granted. However, the criteria for service connection were not met for cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess his current left knee disability. The Board also requires a new examination to determine if his right hip, right knee, and low back disabilities are related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that there are outstanding records pertaining to the Veteran's claims and that further examination is needed to determine if his knee conditions, back condition, and psychiatric disorder are related to service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and an increased rating for esophagitis and recurrent left lower quadrant pain due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and missing records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar strain, bilateral foot ganglion cysts, bilateral hip condition as secondary to a lumbar spine disability, and bilateral sacral radiculopathy. The decision found no new and material evidence to reopen any of these claims.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active duty or National Guard service.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and hypertension as secondary to PTSD. The claims for residuals of a back injury, kidney condition, nerve condition, and hearing loss are remanded.

The appeal for service connection of a cervical spine disability is REMANDED.,The appeals for service connection of bilateral foot and lumbar spine disabilities are GRANTED.,The appeal for service connection of basal cell carcinoma of the nose is GRANTED.

The Veteran's service-connected DJD of the thoracolumbar spine is granted a 20% evaluation prior to February 26, 2018. The issue of higher evaluations for radiculopathy of the LLE and RLE associated with DJD remains remanded.

The Board has denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities on an extraschedular basis. The case is being remanded to obtain a TDIU opinion addressing all of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

Your claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, right hand disorder, lumbar disorder, left-sided weakness, and left knee disorder have been dismissed.,Your previously denied claims of service connection for spina bifida occulta C6, C7 and TI and cervical spine disorder, as well as left-sided weakness and left knee disorder are now reopened.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were related to military service.,Specifically, there was no medical evidence showing an in-service onset of any of these conditions. The Veteran's STRs showed only one incident of low back pain treated with no further follow-up.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and the Veteran's subjective symptoms do not rise to the level of disability under VA criteria.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Stamford Memorial Hospital on May 9, 2013, are granted as the private hospitalization was for a 'medical emergency' and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral foot disability, heart disability, skin disorder (claimed shaving problems), and allergic rhinitis due to environmental hazard exposure. The Veteran is presumed to have had environmental exposures during his service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% for the period from December 5, 2012 to January 28, 2013, and from April 1, 2013 forward. The initial rating of 10 percent for chronic lumbar strain is granted.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left hip disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), right shoulder disability, low back disability, and cervical spine disability. The remand requires additional examinations to address functional impairment and provide opinions on whether these disabilities are related to active duty service.