Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran is seeking service connection for his lumbar spine conditions, which he claims are secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the direct relationship of these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an elevated cholesterol disorder has been withdrawn.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea did not manifest during or as a result of active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and psychiatric disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension and GERD were not found to warrant a compensable rating.,For the period prior to August 2, 2011, his GERD did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation. Since then, it has been rated at 10 percent.

The Board has decided some of the Veteran's claims, including those for service connection and rating issues. The appeals seeking service connection for a left knee disability and bilateral ankle disabilities, as well as for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, have been withdrawn by the Veteran. The claims to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability are granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's neck and back disabilities, including considering his lay statements and evidence of prior injuries.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for lumbar radiculopathy, right lower extremity; a chronic bilateral leg disability; and arthritis of the bilateral hips have been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for left and middle chest pain during a hearing before the Board. The remaining issues are related to evaluations for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), right knee sprain, and left knee sprain.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and has reopened the claim of service connection for dysthymia. The Veteran's dysthymia is related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with herniated discs.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if current diagnoses can be provided for the claimed low back, right and left knee, and right and left ankle conditions, and if so, whether they are related to service.

The Veteran sustained a line of duty injury to his back during ACDUTRA in June 2012, resulting in right posterolateral disc bulge at L5-S1 and right-sided foraminal stenosis. The Board finds that the criteria for establishing service connection have been met.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for low back disability and initial ratings for PTSD have been denied. The claim of service connection for COPD has not been adjudicated, as it is unclear if the appeal is about this issue or another one.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, while the LLE radiculopathy is also rated at 40 percent.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed asbestosis and low back disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for scoliosis. The Veteran's flat feet (pes planus) were noted at entrance but did not increase in severity during service, and there is no evidence of aggravation beyond natural progression. Service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity, and residuals of stress reaction of the right leg cannot be established as these conditions are not shown to have been incurred in service or until many years thereafter.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment effective October 23, 2008. The Board found that the Veteran engaged in marginal employment as of this date.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbosacral and cervical spine disabilities had their onset in active service or are related to in-service injuries. The Board finds that the most probative evidence of record shows that these conditions have a direct relationship with his military service.