Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left knee, cervical spine, psychiatric, and stomach surgery disabilities. The Board finds that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim of increased ratings for migraine headaches has been granted. His claims for service connection for Crohn's disease, a back disability, right knee and left knee disabilities, dry eye syndrome with myopic astigmatism, and hearing loss are all denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Army Reserve records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disability, hypertension, and low back/knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder, lumbosacral strain, is related to his period of service and grants service connection for this condition. The other claims for bilateral knee disorder, PSVT, agoraphobia, and OCD are also granted.

The Veteran's appeal of the compensable evaluation for traumatic brain injury was withdrawn. The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy as these conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not serve during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and therefore cannot establish veteran status. As such, service connection is denied for all claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying in-service stressors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back injury and left arm injury, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability related to active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability. The issue of an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected eye condition is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the spine and peripheral neuropathy and vascular disease, precluded him from obtaining and maintaining any form of gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience. The Board granted an extraschedular TDIU effective February 25, 2010.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for DDD of the spine, but the case is REMANDED to obtain VA treatment records and attempt to corroborate an in-service motor vehicle accident. A new VA examination is also needed to determine if the current back disability is at least as likely as not caused by or related to active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a middle and low back disorder, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, left shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, and sleep disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence of current disabilities for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and providing the Veteran with notification letters regarding his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and bilateral hearing loss meet the threshold requirements for a TDIU, as his combined disability ratings satisfy the criteria. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these disabilities.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted in June 2012 with an initial 40% rating effective March 24, 2005 and a 20% rating effective August 20, 2009. The Board found that from August 20, 2009, the Veteran's disability did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of any currently diagnosed low back disability. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have significantly impacted his ability to work, and the Board finds that he is unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment due to these conditions. As a result, TDIU has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability was reopened and granted. The Board found that the Veteran had degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee and ankle arthritis.,The Veteran's shin splints were not service connected, as they are considered a manifestation of his service-connected disabilities of the knees, ankles, and feet.