Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that none of the Veteran's claimed disabilities began during service or are related to service in any other way.

The Veteran's nerve damage to the left leg has been rated as 10 percent disabling, which is appropriate given the symptoms described. The acquired psychiatric disorder (MDD, panic disorder with agoraphobia, PTSD) has been granted service connection and is considered a new issue due to reopened claims. Hypertension and sleep apnea have not been found to be related to service. Left shoulder and back disabilities are also not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was denied. His claim for increased rating for lumbar L5-L6 spondylolisthesis and TDIU were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep apnea and bilateral foot disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service records and to provide a VA examination for his claimed psychiatric, knee, and low back disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for stomach and eye problems, as they are not related to his service or a service-connected disability. The other issues on appeal have been addressed but no rating assigned.

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

The Board finds that the Veteran's right hand neurological disability has not improved to warrant a restoration of the 100% rating. The RO reduced the prestabilization rating, and the current ratings for the right knee and low back disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities did not have their onset during active duty service or are otherwise etiologically related to such service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, reflecting limited but not ankylosed motion. The Board finds the current rating adequately compensates for his functional loss due to pain and flare-ups.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding the initial disability ratings for her low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of February 18, 2011 for the award of a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's combined disability rating was at least 70% from that date.

The Veteran's claimed back, neck, and upper extremities disabilities are not shown to have been incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence is against a finding that any current disability was caused by an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, right shoulder, left shoulder, and gastrointestinal disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after service, and there is no evidence of disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his lumbar DDD and left lower extremity radiculopathy, precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to December 18, 2009. Therefore, IU for this period is granted effective August 28, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an examination to assess his ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her service-connected low back and right leg radiculopathy disabilities, including a new VA examination to determine the current severity of her lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for a low back disability, including an opinion on whether intravenous drug use and subsequent post-service back infection were caused or aggravated by the service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, as well as for the Veteran to provide additional evidence.