Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and right shoulder/arm conditions, make it impossible for him to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left knee disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric condition. The decision found that new evidence did not reopen the claim for a left knee disability, and that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection of a right hip disability due to previous grant. The case is remanded for further development and adjudication on the issues of left hip disability secondary to right hip disability, and lumbar spine disability secondary to right hip disability.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and recurrent mixed headaches are currently rated at the maximum allowed under their respective diagnostic codes. The low back disability, left eye disability, right knee disability, and hypothyroidism do not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection is remanded for claims related to a right wrist disorder (carpal tunnel syndrome), neck disorder, right shoulder disorder (secondary to recurrent mixed headaches), acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD), and total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her degenerative disc disease, thoracic and lumbar spine is being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a new examination.

The Veteran's spouse is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on her need for aid and attendance due to multiple disabling conditions, including lumbar disc disease, cervical disc disease, major depression, and radiculopathy.

The Veteran's cervical spine and thoracolumbar DDD conditions are not rated higher than the current levels.,The Veteran’s psychiatric disability is also not rated higher than the current level.

The Board denied service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including shoulder and spine disabilities, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service disease or injury related to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability must be remanded due to conflicting medical evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a lumbar spine disability due to new evidence suggesting a continuity of low back symptoms following service. The claim is reopened and will be remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and post-service employment medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the appellant's service on federalized ACDUTRA in June 2009, and a new examination is needed to determine if her low back disability is related to this incident.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral leg disabilities are related to or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability, left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, headache disability, and anxiety disorder are all granted. The claim for an increased evaluation of the Veteran's anxiety disorder is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, residuals of a left leg fracture, and a 3rd degree burn of the right ankle. Service connection was granted for neurological problems, to include headaches.,Service connection for a cervical spine disorder was not established as there is no evidence showing it had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back disability was denied, but his claim for service connection for hemorrhoids was granted. The decision is mixed as it reopened the hemorrhoids claim and denied the lower back disability claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee chondromalacia, right knee chondromalacia, and lumbosacral strain as additional evidence is needed to assess their severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied in an August 2006 rating decision. The RO determined that the evidence did not establish a relationship between the condition and any in-service risk factors.,The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for PTSD prior to March 10, 2006 is dismissed as untimely filed.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD remains pending. The RO will schedule him for a VA examination to determine the current severity and manifestations of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for clarification of his lumbar spine disorder examination reports.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is granted service connection. The low back and chronic sleep disabilities are denied as not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability, retinal detachment in the right eye, lipomas (skin condition), and a right knee disability due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives. The issues are being returned for further development.