Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include left shoulder, back, bilateral knee, and hearing loss/tinnitus disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back and knee conditions due to conflicting opinions on whether these conditions are related to service-connected flat feet or other factors.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the increased disability ratings for lumbar spine, right hip, and splenectomy disabilities. The claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine was reopened and granted. The evidence showed that his current condition is related to an in-service helicopter accident.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is currently rated at 10 percent from July 1, 2010 through March 16, 2017 and 30 percent since March 17, 2017. The Veteran's hearing loss is not compensable.,The Veteran's lumbar spondyloarthropathy was previously rated at 10 percent from July 1, 2010 through March 16, 2017 and is now remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depressive disorder. The Veteran's current conditions were not related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability and to determine if he should be granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues due to lack of VA treatment records, in-service noise exposure documentation, and other necessary development.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability, cataracts, cardiovascular disability, and prostate gland hypertrophy due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service or radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's service records show he reported trouble sleeping during his military service, and private treatment records indicate he was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 1994. However, no VA examination has been conducted on this issue.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his low back sprain is remanded due to the need to locate and associate a forty-five-page report with the claims file, as well as schedule an examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's knee and leg conditions, as well as his back disorders. The reasons for this are that VA treatment records need to be obtained, a February 2014 VA examination report needs to be associated with the file, and new examinations need to be scheduled.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including those for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, general arthralgia, a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo and dizziness, tinnitus, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The issues are being remanded due to the need for new evidence or further review.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and back disability are granted service connection, but the right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, athlete’s foot, diabetes, right elbow strain, left elbow strain, arthritis throughout the body, hearing loss, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and tinnitus claims remain pending.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral knee disability, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection.,Service connection was not established for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or a link between the condition and service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and granted service connection for hypertension. Service connection was remanded for COPD and diabetes mellitus/ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of her low back and knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a right hip disability, is granted. However, the appeal is only partially successful in that it pertains to reopening the left hip disability claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar arthritis, cervical degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, and right ankle disorder have been denied as the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and low back disabilities, as well as the propriety of a reduction in rating for his low back disability. The claims will be further evaluated after additional development is completed.

The Veteran's lumbar DDD is granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that his current condition is related to repetitive lifting during military service.,Service connection for aortic aneurysms and subsequent aortic valve replacement is denied, as there is no evidence of their onset or relation to in-service events.