Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for left foot pes planus, low back disability, or left shoulder disability. The Veteran's complaints and diagnoses were not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's left lower extremity disability was rated at 20 percent prior to February 25, 2015 and increased to 40 percent from that date. The Board found the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period of time.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability to include degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine had its onset in service and is granted as service connected. The issues regarding his knee disabilities are remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches had their onset during military service and are therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at the maximum schedular evaluation, and he meets the criteria for TDIU as of June 12, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for additional VA examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his lumbar spine condition, right knee enthesopathy and osteoarthritis, and right ankle sprain was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental medical nexus opinion to address the relationship between his service-connected bilateral pes planus and his claimed low back, hip, and knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability did not begin during or as a result of his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a spine disability, headaches, and hypertension. The Veteran's spine disability is related to his military service, his headaches are aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus, and his hypertension did not manifest during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempts to reopen his claims for service connection for a low back disability and coronary artery disease and hypertension, finding no new and material evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and nonservice-connected disability pension benefits. The claim for service connection was denied because new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim, and the Veteran lacked the required military service for pension eligibility.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a cervical spine disability that he claims is secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete records.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent based on recurrent instability, and a separate rating of 10 percent for limitation of flexion due to pain. The lumbosacral spine disability is also rated at 20 percent. No higher ratings are warranted as the evidence does not support ankylosis or severe forward flexion limitations.

The Board finds that the Veteran's back disability is related to his in-service injury, and grants service connection for a back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current hearing loss or total occupational and social impairment due to PTSD, but granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD prior to August 9, 2010, and a 20 percent rating thereafter.

The Veteran's degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine was found to have its onset during service, and therefore service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and determining whether he is entitled to TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease with lumbar spinal and neuroforaminal stenosis did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as it did not result in unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) having a total duration of at least six weeks during a twelve-month period.