Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a deviated septum, claimed as a disability of the nose, is dismissed. The Board has remanded cases involving low back disability, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, hypertension, acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as PTSD), and initial compensable evaluation for bilateral tinea pedis/tinea unguium.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated right-lower extremity and left-lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted initial evaluations of 20 percent each, effective from May 4, 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic prostatitis, cervical myositis, lumbar myositis, and a psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The AOJ must obtain VA treatment records from 1997 and any private treatment records related to his prostate condition in 1997. They are also required to provide the Veteran with release forms for these records if they have not already been obtained.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural errors and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his character of discharge during his second period of service.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease, L4-L5 and L5-S1, finding that the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine and hip disorders, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his service-connected bilateral pes planus and ankle disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's low back disability, including potential continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and back disability, as well as his TDIU claim, are being remanded due to missing records. The VA will conduct a new search for all relevant documents and provide the Veteran with an opportunity to submit any missing records. A new VA examination is also required for both PTSD and back disability.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities due to lack of a VA examination and insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is not service connected, and his PTSD is rated at 70%.,PTSD benefits are granted with conditions but an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition, reactive airway disease with bronchitis, and an acquired psychiatric disability (adjustment disorder with depressed mood and anxiety) incurred during the Veteran's period of active duty service.

The Veteran's degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at a 40 percent rating for the entire appellate period, but his radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been granted ratings of 20 percent prior to February 23, 2016 and 40 percent since then.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as he contends a TDIU should be granted prior to February 23, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations, as his current evaluations do not comply with Correia v. McDonald or Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, upper back disability, and right ear hearing loss. Service connection was granted for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (including alcohol abuse, PTSD, depression, anxiety) due to incomplete service records. The AOJ is required to obtain all relevant service treatment records and personnel records from January 1960 to January 1990. They are also instructed to clarify the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. Additionally, a psychiatric examination must be conducted to assess the nature and etiology of any current mental disorders.

The Veteran's low back disorder and neck disorder are not service-connected as there is no evidence of a nexus to active duty. The Veteran's migraine disorder, however, is service-connected.,Service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to the Veteran's reported exposure to herbicides while in Thailand.

The Veteran's disability rating for lumbosacral strain was reduced from 40 percent to 20 percent, effective March 1, 2017. The Board found that the evidence did not show improvement in his condition and thus denied a higher rating.