Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative changes are related to her active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and service treatment records, as well as arranging for new medical examinations to assess his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and the obtaining of treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his claimed back and right knee disorders.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for all issues, with the exception of her initial compensable evaluation for epicondylitis right elbow. The denial is based on lack of evidence supporting higher ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and other conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, and back pain, prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board grants TDIU prior to December 8, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected mild thoracic and lumbar back strain, as well as his claim of entitlement to service connection for a neck disorder (to include as secondary to his service-connected back condition), are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back, hip, and sleep disorders are not related to his military service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including service connection for DM, cervical condition, lumbar condition(s), hypertension, bilateral knee condition(s) and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for a lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The rating assigned is 30%.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA spine examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed low back disability.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disorder, finding no medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran is granted a 10 percent rating for his DDD with IVDS, lumbar spine from September 17, 2012 to April 18, 2015 and thereafter in excess of 10 percent. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected back brace does not tend to wear or tear his clothing, thus the criteria for an annual clothing allowance are not met.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and adjudication of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions were denied as they did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to Persian Gulf War exposure or other qualifying chronic disability.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and headaches, finding that the Veteran's assertions of in-service neck injuries were credible and consistent with the circumstances of his service. The Board also found that there was at least relative equipoise evidence supporting the claim for service connection for headaches as secondary to the now service-connected cervical spine disability. Service connection for a low back disability was denied due to lack of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition, a scalp condition, and a respiratory condition. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 1, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.