Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, translating any identified documents, scheduling a VA audiological examination, and readjudicating the claim for increased evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine, finding that these conditions are as likely as not related to active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosed low back disorder is not related to service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's right wrist, recurring ear infections and sinusitis disabilities were incurred in service or are otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain VA medical records and provide new opinions regarding the appellant's claims. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 10 percent, effective May 8, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to that date.

The Board has found that the Veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been so incurred, and is not secondary to a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the evaluations for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, intermittent numbness in the right lower extremity, and intermittent numbness in the left lower extremity. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings of his service-connected low back syndrome with degenerative disc disease has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their claims prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The Board will review this evidence and readjudicate his claims.

The Veteran's TBI residuals and cervical spine strain with degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and intervertebral disc syndrome have been evaluated as denied. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings for his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability is granted, with the effective date to be determined. The claims for increased ratings of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are denied prior to July 19, 2012, but granted thereafter. Service connection for cervical spondylosis and stenosis is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. New and material evidence has been submitted for sleep apnea, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and depression.

The Board finds that the Veteran's back, bilateral hip, left knee and right knee disorders are service-connected as they are at least in equipoise with respect to their onset during service.,The VA physician provided a positive opinion linking the Veteran's current right knee disorder to his service as a paratrooper.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, including whether it is related to service or secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for further development, including obtaining private medical records and a VA examination to address her low back disability. The examiner is requested to provide opinions regarding the relationship of her diagnosed low back disabilities to service, as well as whether they are caused by or due to her service-connected bilateral knee and/or left hip disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is related to service, including his fall in service. The examiner must consider the Veteran's lay statements of continuity of symptomatology since injury in service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for chronic back strain with DDD and DJD of the right knee were denied. The Board found that prior to July 7, 2015, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic back strain with DDD. Effective from July 7, 2015, the Veteran's condition was rated as 20 percent disabling. The claim for DJD of the right knee was also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current back disability was caused or aggravated by his active service. The left knee disability claims are also denied, with no specific rating assigned due to lack of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in previous decisions.