Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine arthritis and chronic diarrhea are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder disability and back condition, finding no current disabilities related to in-service injuries.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active service.

The Board has found that the evidence is insufficient to decide these claims and further evidentiary development is needed before decisions can be reached on the merits. This includes obtaining private medical records, scheduling VA examinations for right shoulder disorder, low back disorder, bilateral foot disorders, and prostate cancer, and verifying periods of service.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), and the other issues were denied or not addressed.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD). The case is being remanded to obtain an opinion regarding the relationship between PTSD and in-service harassment.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability may have worsened since the last VA examination in July 2015, and a new examination is needed to determine its current severity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lower back disability, including degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, is related to a motor vehicle accident during active duty for training in August 1999. As such, service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic low back disability, hemorrhoids, and TMJ disorder. The Veteran's disabilities are found to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations. The issues include determining if his lumbar spine disorder, sleep disorder, and erectile dysfunction are related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's back disability is granted at 40 percent since January 24, 2008. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and erectile dysfunction, as well as rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various shoulder and spine disorders due to potential issues with causation and aggravation, as well as a need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for sacroiliitis, arthritis and disc degeneration of the lumbar spine, arthritis and disc degeneration of the cervical spine, right hip arthritis, and left hip arthritis as these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine disabilities prior to February 1, 2016 and from February 1, 2016, as well as for a lumbar spine disability. The reasons are that VA provided new examinations but did not attempt to elicit information regarding the severity, frequency, and duration of flare-ups.

The Veteran's clothing was damaged by his knee braces and topical medication for service-connected conditions. The Board granted a clothing allowance for the damage caused by the knee braces, but denied the claim for the topical medication.

The Board denied service connection for right hand, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service fall.

The Veteran's appeals seeking service connection for hypertension, a back disorder, and right hand tremors have been dismissed. Service connection for diabetes mellitus has been granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Service connection for erectile dysfunction has been denied as it is not proximately due to or aggravated by the service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia, an increased evaluation for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of insomnia or any other sleep disorder disability. For his degenerative disc disease, the Board determined that the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability warranting an increased rating beyond 10 percent. For his allergic rhinitis, the Board concluded that the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability. The Board also denied service connection for lumbar spine arthritis. The reasons given were that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a low back disability due to new diagnoses, but remanded for further clarification and medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.