Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted. The other claims of service connection were remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and the need for a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claim of a chronic thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance (A&A) and TDIU prior to September 11, 2012 due to insufficient evidence of record. A VA examination is needed to determine the Veteran's ability to care for his basic needs without assistance and a retrospective medical opinion is required to assess his functional impact on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board is remanding the case to clarify whether the Veteran had a pre-existing low back condition prior to service and if her in-service 'exacerbations' were of the same back condition that pre-existed service.

The Veteran's PTSD, right shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability are rated appropriately. The case is being returned for further evaluation on the issues of service connection for hip disabilities, sacroiliac dysfunction, sleep disorder, and headaches.

The claim for service connection for a back disorder is granted, but the claim for arthritis of the back is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar disc disease and cervical disc disease, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including spondylolysis with hypertrophic degenerative changes and disc bulging, may be related to his service-connected brain surgery residuals. However, they need additional medical evidence on whether the service-connected condition aggravates the Veteran's current disability.

The Board denied service connection for compression fracture and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was denied as there is no evidence that any of these conditions began during active service or are otherwise linked to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the right hip, a compensable rating for right hip limitation of flexion, a compensable rating for right hip limitation of extension, and to a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability and right ankle disability, but allowed reopening of the claim for right ankle disability.,Service connection was not granted for right hip, leg/shin disabilities, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, or variously diagnosed psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's left shoulder degenerative joint disease with impingement syndrome is rated at 10 percent and denied for a higher rating.,Service connection for low back pain is denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to service.,Service connection for bilateral knee pain is denied due to lack of evidence connecting the condition to service.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied because it was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability rating was reduced from 20% to 10%, effective May 1, 2015. The Board found that the reduction did not comply with applicable law and regulations, and restored the 20% rating.

Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted, and an effective date of September 22, 2011, but no earlier, for the assignment of a 20 percent disability rating for osteoarthritis of the right knee is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation higher than 10 percent and evaluations higher than 20 percent for his lumbar degenerative disc disease, as well as a claim for TDIU prior to November 17, 2014. The issues are being remanded due to conflicting evidence and need further clarification.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations for his lumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for extraschedular consideration due to evidence showing he was unemployable due to service-connected disability prior to July 11, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected back disability is denied as the impairment caused by the condition is already contemplated in the schedular rating criteria and any effect on employability is addressed through his TDIU award.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss due to lack of a current disability. The Veteran's back disorder is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.