Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various spine and hip conditions, as well as headaches, have been granted. The Veteran now has service connection for a cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, headaches, left hip disabilities, right hip disabilities, and bilateral hip disabilities.

The Veteran seeks service connection for low back and right foot disabilities, as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to properly adjudicate these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is aggravated by his service-connected cold injuries of the bilateral feet, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability did not manifest during service or within a year of separation, and is not related to any in-service disease, injury, or event. The evidence does not support a finding of chronicity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's lower back and right knee disabilities are service-connected as direct service connection. The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee disability is proximately due to his service-connected healed left fibular fracture.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant treatment records and providing an addendum opinion on service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development and examination of the Veteran's claims, including for a psychiatric evaluation, orthopedic evaluations, and an audiological examination.

The Board denied reopening the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding no new and material evidence to support it.

The Veteran seeks service connection for right knee and back disabilities, which he contends are related to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has determined that a new examination is needed as the current opinion provided by the VA examiner does not address direct service connection or whether the conditions were aggravated by his service-connected left knee condition.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings, effective date determinations, and TDIU. The case is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and notify the Veteran of his rights regarding TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including gastroesophageal disability, tension headache disability, osteoarthritis of the thoracic and lumbar spine, bilateral plantar fasciitis with degenerative changes at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, cervical strain with degenerative joint and disc disease, left knee orthopedic disability, left elbow nerve disability, and tinnitus, meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, degenerative arthritis/disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, and degenerative arthritis/disc disease of the cervical spine are being remanded due to a failure to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) after February 2015 examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his low back disability. The TDIU claim will be deferred pending completion of these actions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative disc disease and hypertension have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran has a current disability (degenerative disc disease) related to his in-service back pain, and also found that he had a current disability (hypertension) which is not secondary to any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and associated radiculopathy have been granted a 40 percent rating effective from April 29, 2015.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for the denial of service connection for bilateral hip, wrist, elbow, and knee disabilities at a hearing before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's disabilities of the tailbone and thoracolumbar spine are etiologically related to injuries suffered in service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various disabilities, including a cervical spine disorder and its secondary effects. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for diabetes, low back disability, and lower extremity peripheral neuropathies were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was granted, with an effective date of October 24, 2012. The case is being REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further action on his claim.