Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and PTSD, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issues of entitlement to service connection for gallstones, anxiety disorder, low back pain, hyperlipidemia, and a fatty liver.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis and remanded the remaining issues to obtain additional VA treatment records, address the Veteran's assertions regarding his psychiatric disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disability, and schedule appropriate examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for irregular menstrual periods, respiratory disorder, low back disability, fibromyalgia, skin disability (manifested by fractured teeth), and temporomandibular joint articulation disorder. The Veteran's low back disability is related to her period of active service. Fibromyalgia is also related to her period of active service. A skin disability did not have its clinical onset in service or during any applicable presumptive period, but it is otherwise related to active service. Service connection for PTSD has been granted with an initial 50 percent rating from June 30, 2009, to October 8, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder and cervical spine disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for a low back disorder was previously denied due to preexisting condition aggravation, and no new evidence has been provided to reopen this claim.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of low back, right knee, chest injury, and headaches.,There is insufficient medical evidence linking any current disabilities to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA examinations and clarifying the nature of the Appellant's National Guard service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea as due to an undiagnosed illness is denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have an independent diagnosis of a sleep disorder and his chronic sleep impairment is related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a lumbar condition, which she contends is secondary to her service-connected epilepsy. The Board has requested additional medical opinions and development of the record in order to address these issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite of the hands and feet, depression, a low back disability, and epistaxis. However, the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has ordered a remand to clarify the relationship between the Veteran's current low back condition and his service, including whether it was aggravated by service. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current low back condition is related to his in-service leg length discrepancy.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and granted it as secondary to her service-connected right knee disability. The evidence now shows that the Veteran's current back condition is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by her service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including small bowel resection, pelvic inflammatory disease, major depressive disorder, and other conditions, rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to her education and occupational experience.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD, effective January 7, 2010. The Veteran's PTSD is characterized by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks more than once per week, difficulty understanding complex commands, and impaired judgment.

The Board denied an extension of a temporary total rating for treatment requiring convalescence due to service-connected back injury with arthritis, degenerative disc disease of the lumbosac spine. The evidence did not meet the criteria for extending the rating beyond October 1, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as herniated disc with radiculopathy and lumbar spondylosis, is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected left knee disability. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar stenosis is service connected as it was incurred during his active duty due to an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and neck conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active service, including as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder injury. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation for the period prior to December 9, 2004.