Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder due to inextricability with another issue. The VA will obtain relevant medical records from the University of Tennessee hospital, Jamaica Plain VA facilities, and any other sources provided by the Appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar arthritis and degenerative disc disease. The issues of service connection for left hip disorder, right hip disorder, right leg disorder (radiculopathy), and left leg disorder (radiculopathy) are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and back disability, finding no current diagnosis of a mental disorder or back condition. The TDIU claim was also remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the other issues.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral knee disorders, right ear hearing loss, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The conditions are deemed to have originated during active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and found that he had a current disability related to his service, but denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking it to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease with L5-S1 herniated disc and IVDS with back strain (back condition), and left knee strain were denied as the original claim was not filed within one year of a period of service from which he was separated under conditions other than dishonorable.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence. The earlier effective date claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as September 13, 2012, is the appropriate date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and GERD are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disorder, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if his current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination as there were not sufficient compliance with previous instructions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder and hiatal hernia in March 2013. The Veteran filed a petition to reopen these claims, but new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has found that the Veteran has received the maximum rating available for his right knee instability, hypertension, and low back arthritis. The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded, as well as his claims regarding a higher rating for low back arthritis and scars.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the claimant.

The Veteran's service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The Veteran's cervical stenosis and lumbar degenerative disc disease are both rated at the maximum disability evaluation of 20 percent prior to April 13, 2017, and 40 percent thereafter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's most recent VA examinations are outdated and remands for new evaluations to determine current disability levels.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease, a brain injury including occipital infarct, and an increased rating for left radial head fracture due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for chronic low back strain, entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left hip snapping syndrome, and the propriety of the separately assigned rating for left hip snapping syndrome. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease (DDD), is currently rated at 40 percent. The Board has decided to remand the case for a new examination and additional private treatment records.

The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine with L4-S3 sided disc protrusion are currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a back injury, finding that the Veteran's current back problems are not attributable to his military service.