Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for right hip, left hip and lumbar spine disabilities have been reopened. Service connection is granted for spondylosis of the lumbosacral spine. The Veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder, right ankle sprain and left ankle sprain disabilities remain pending.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The gastrointestinal disability, diagnosed as dyspepsia and chronic diarrhea, is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected fibromyalgia. Effective dates prior to July 27, 2011, have been granted for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and fibromyalgia.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a need for another videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, with consideration of his level of education and previous work experience, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability of arthritis of the lumbar spine is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of this appeal.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and PTSD have been granted, but the rating for PTSD prior to October 14, 2014 has also been granted. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine and nerve damage in the left leg and loss of strength in the legs as secondary to the DDD of the lumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability with associated bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation during the appeal period prior to December 12, 2013. From December 12, 2013 to September 30, 2015, he was unable to secure and follow such an occupation due to his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has ordered a remand to consider additional evidence regarding the Veteran's lumbosacral strain prior to January 10, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional records and provide further examination opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected right posterior tibialis disorder and his claimed cervical spine and lumbar spine disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disorder and right hip disorder, finding that these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed disability manifested by pain in the back and sides, other than lumbago or low back pain. As such, service connection is denied.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability in service and insufficient continuity of symptomatology to establish service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, vision loss disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The reduction of the evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss from 40% to 20% was also found improper.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a videoconference hearing and unclear appeal scope. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the propriety of the disability ratings assigned for her service-connected lumbar spine and left leg conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that Agent Orange exposure, in and of itself, is not a disability subject to service connection.