Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disorder and heart disorder are not related to his service, including any in-service low back injury or September 1988 chest pain incident. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability alone does not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has denied an increased rating. The appeal for a TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar degenerative disc disease with spondylosis prior to June 28, 2011 was granted. For the period on and after June 28, 2011, the claim was denied as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's initial rating for cirrhosis of the liver was granted at a 70 percent level, effective January 8, 2013. The initial rating for multilevel compression fractures of the low back was also granted at a 20 percent level, effective May 16, 2013.

The Board has decided that the issue of service connection for a low back disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology. The Veteran's medical records do not provide clear evidence on whether his current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left shoulder disability and back disability, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), need to be remanded for additional development. The Veteran will receive an SOC regarding his angiodema claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's knee disabilities caused or aggravated his back issues. The decision is based on the Veteran's lay statements and medical opinions linking his current back problems to his knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim for a lumbar spine disability due to inadequate examination reports, and the Veteran should be scheduled for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not related to his service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection. The issues of low back disability, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), and migraines are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance was denied because the back support issued in 2012 is non-rigid and does not cause damage to her clothes.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease requires a back brace that causes wear and tear on his clothing, leading to the award of an annual clothing allowance for the year 2014.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension, as well as increased ratings for other conditions. Additional development is needed to obtain complete STRs and SPRs, conduct a VA examination, and provide the Veteran with an SOC.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability, finding that there was no medical nexus between his in-service back pain and his current condition. The Board also remanded issues regarding entitlement to service connection for headaches (secondary to PTSD) and TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder. Additional development is required, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease with low back pain was reopened, but the claim remains denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for arthritis of the lumbar spine is denied as there was no factually ascertainable increase in disability prior to February 25, 2009. The effective date for a 40 percent rating remains February 25, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and therefore, the claims are denied.