Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete information and need for a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative disease of the lumbar spine, was incurred in service due to his reported in-service injuries and continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's back disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to August 22, 2014. Effective March 1, 2015, his disability warranted a 40% rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's pes planus existed prior to service and was not aggravated by any in-service injury, event or illness. Therefore, it denied service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating on an extraschedular basis for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine has been denied as the evidence does not support that his disability presents such an exceptional or unusual picture to render impractical the application of the regular schedular standards.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and considering whether an increased disability rating is warranted. The case will be referred to the Director of Compensation Services if a schedular award of TDIU is not possible.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a clarifying opinion from the January 2014 VA examiner regarding whether Schmorl's node is considered a low back disability and its relationship to the in-service motorcycle injury.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased initial ratings for lumbar spondylosis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, degenerative changes of the acromioclavicular joint of the right shoulder, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and residuals of a pudendal nerve injury. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to her active service, and thus does not meet the criteria for service connection.,Similarly, the Board found no evidence of a current left knee disability within one year after discharge from service, and therefore cannot establish service connection based on chronicity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure in service and grants this claim. The low back disorder claim remains pending as a VA examination was not conducted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private and VA treatment records and arranging an orthopedic examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his back, ankle, and foot disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and TDIU as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain updated medical records and prepare an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder. The Veteran seeks service connection for his current condition, which he attributes to a parachute jump injury in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA records. The Veteran needs a VA examination to assess the severity of his right knee disorder and whether he requires regular aid and attendance or is housebound due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including his lumbar spine disorder) precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 26, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension, low back disability, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and providing addendum opinions on the etiology of his neck disorder and the aggravation of his lower back disability.

The Veteran's joint pain in the low back, mid-back, bilateral knees and sensory changes is attributed to fibromyalgia due to medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness. The Board has granted service connection for these symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to assess the current severity of her thoracolumbar spine disability and femoral nerve impairment, including any associated bowel impairment. The case will be reconsidered after this additional development.