Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee, ankle disabilities, dental trauma to teeth #6, #7, #8, and #9 have been granted. The Veteran is also entitled to a higher initial rating for his lumbar radiculopathy with sciatica (RLE) and insomnia disorder with chronic pain.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise on whether it had its onset during service. The lumbar spine disorder with associated radiculopathy claim must be remanded due to a failure to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and opinions regarding his low back disorder, erectile dysfunction, PTSD, and TDIU claim.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is found to be etiologically related to a disease, injury, or event that occurred during service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection based on exposure to chemicals and/or environmental hazards in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The issues on appeal were whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen a claim of residuals of head trauma, and the entitlement to service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for a respiratory disability, headaches, and low back disability have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or direct service connection. The Board acknowledges the Veteran's assertions regarding exposure to environmental hazards during his military service but finds that such exposures do not support service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to her death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as she is no longer alive.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service and denied his claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for anxiety disorder and lumbar spine disorder due to additional clinical information being associated with the record.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service records and providing the Veteran with updated medical authorization forms. The claim will be reconsidered based on all received evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability and granted it. The Veteran also received special monthly compensation based on his need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic cough and assigned a 20 percent rating for the back disability. Other disabilities have been rated based on their specific criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were at least as likely caused by an injury during military service and/or his service-connected residuals, left ankle injury. As such, the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disability was not incurred or aggravated as a result of active service and denied his claim. For the low back disability, the Court determined that the September 2014 rating decision did not properly consider the Veteran's symptoms related to limitation of motion, altered gait, spasms, pain, flare-ups lasting two to three days, discomfort, stiffness, weakness, achiness, and tightness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lower back and thoracolumbar spine disorder is not related to service, as there was no evidence of a pre-existing condition noted at entrance. The VA examiner found clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran did not have any back complaints prior to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for this disability has been denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for anemia, a back disorder, and a cervical spine disorder were denied. The Veteran was granted recognition as the helpless child of her spouse prior to attaining age 18.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability is not causally or etiologically related to his active duty service, including his coccyx removal. The evidence does not establish a nexus between the Veteran's in-service injury and his current condition.

The Board has remanded the claim for further development due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's low back disability.