Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for hearing loss and an initial disability rating for lumbar spine strain. The Veteran needs to be provided with another VA examination for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal regarding tinnitus, PTSD, and various wrist and hand strains has been remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,PTSD remains rated at 70 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) and remanded the issues of service connection for lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and initial compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids with fistulas and surgery.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is granted for the period prior to May 14, 2015. A rating of 70 percent is assigned. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent cervical spine injury residuals and recurrent lumbosacral spine injury residuals, finding that the disabilities originated during active service.

The Veteran's appeal was remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The issues of increased ratings for headaches, right shoulder disability, and lumbar spine disability are now pending.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during service and have continued since then. The decision is based on medical records showing an in-service injury and post-service complaints of ongoing pain.

The Veteran's OSA was granted as it had its onset during active service and is related to his service-connected allergic rhinitis.,The Veteran's lumbar spine discopathy, herniated disc, and radiculopathy were granted due to the continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has granted a request for a new hearing due to the appellant's inability to attend the originally scheduled videoconference hearing. The case is now remanded for scheduling a new hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right leg, and left leg disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his heart condition, bilateral knee condition, low back condition, right rotator cuff tear with repair and scars, and generalized anxiety disorder with memory loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete STRs and the need for an addendum from a VA medical examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension. The issues include confirmation of completeness of the Veteran's service treatment records and obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran’s hypertension was aggravated by his service-connected MDD, other service-connected disabilities, or their medications.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding it related to a motor vehicle accident in service. Service connection was denied for spina bifida occulta due to its preexistence and lack of aggravation during service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on objective range of motion testing and functional impairment.

The Board has found that the Veteran's VA examinations for his cervical spine, knee disabilities, and mental health conditions have not been conducted as scheduled. The appeal is being remanded to reschedule these examinations and obtain updated VA treatment records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for gout secondary to his service-connected foot disabilities. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum from the October 2014 VA examiner and scheduling a VA examination of the Veteran's spine disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of a local hearing with a Decision Review Officer (DRO).

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS is currently rated at 20 percent from September 26, 2017, forward. The Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted for this period based on the evidence of record. However, the claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent prior to September 26, 2017, remains pending and requires further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause. The Board found that the failure to appear at the examinations resulted in a denial of his claims.