Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and to obtain outstanding federal records. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

Service connection for a low back disorder is granted as the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated during service.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted as it had its onset in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining personnel records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's appeal, finding that new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim of service connection for a low back condition. The Board also found that the current low back disorder is related to an injury during service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical radiculopathy, and lumbar radiculopathy due to lack of evidence supporting his assertions. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen any of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to a request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection were denied. An earlier effective date claim for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities was granted on April 18, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are service-connected as they were incurred during his active military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for his left ankle disorder, hepatitis B, neck disorder, low back disorder, headaches, and nerve disorder in upper extremities. The character of discharge under other than honorable conditions barred VA compensation benefits for these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed cervical spine disability, to include cervical and pelvic non-allopathic lesions. The VA examinations did not find any chronic condition or objective evidence of a disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted. The lumbar spine disability remains rated as noncompensable, with no higher ratings granted. The TDIU claim was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for degenerative disc disease cannot be granted as there is no new and material evidence presented.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current low back disorder that manifested in service or within one year thereafter, and there is no evidence linking any current diagnosis to his military service. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective February 5, 2008. His left sciatic peripheral nerve neuropathy does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability did not begin during service and was not otherwise caused by his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since April 28, 2006.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back injury. The evidence supports a finding of direct service connection for the lumbar disc disease status post fusion at L4-L5 (also claimed as a back injury).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment consistent with his education, training and work experience. The Board finds the Veteran experienced symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea during service and that his current sleep apnea condition has been determined to be related to sleep issues suffered in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's low back disability and service.