Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied reopening the claims of service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee disability, diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a back disability. The Veteran's lay statements regarding his Vietnam service were found to be not supported by the record.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and residuals of shell fragment wounds to his left testes. The Board found that there was an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service, placing the benefit of doubt in favor of the Veteran.,Service connection has also been granted for residuals of shell fragment wounds to the head and face, but not for the upper arm as no current disability was found.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of low back, right leg radiculopathy, upper back disorder, bilateral shoulder disorders, bilateral hip disorder, left knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and bilateral foot disorder are at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury. As such, service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate opinions in his VA examinations and missing medical records.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial disability ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis was withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination and opinion addressing the limitation of motion during flare-ups, as well as consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is denied as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or limitation of motion warranting a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's compensation benefits were restored to October 1, 2002, the date following her discharge from military service.

The Board denied service connection for an upper back disability and bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's upper back condition is not etiologically related to service, while his pes planus existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and is remanding the issue of service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for groin injury, low back disability including as secondary to a groin injury, and left leg pain. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective September 29, 2010. Separate ratings of 10 percent are assigned for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities from September 29, 2010, to February 3, 2013. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of an in-service event, disease, or injury that could be linked to the claimed conditions. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a right knee disability, left knee disability, shin splints of either leg, cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis of the wrists and hands, or sinus disability due to asbestos exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to unavailability of service treatment records and other necessary development is required before a final decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for right knee condition and back condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spondylosis is not productive of forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees, a combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees, ankylosis, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months.,From March 23, 2011 to October 1, 2013, the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was not productive of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees, a combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees, ankylosis, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months. From October 2, 2013, the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine has not been productive of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine at 30 degrees or less, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verification of a period of service in the Republic of Korea and examinations to address his claims for sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, and sinus/respiratory disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was granted with a rating of 10 percent prior to February 29, 2016 and increased to 20 percent from February 29, 2016 to April 3, 2017. From April 3, 2017 onwards, the disability remains rated at 10 percent.

The Board has reopened the claim for left paravertebral muscle pull and granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are also found to be related to in-service noise exposure.