Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from the February 2014 examiner regarding whether the Veteran's cervical spine disability was aggravated by his service-connected lumbar strain and TBI.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, sleep apnea, and low back disability. The Veteran's hiatal hernia is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, SSA records, and a new examination to determine the etiology of his sleep apnea disability and the severity of his lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, are presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine is directly related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a new VA examination. The issues of rating his lumbar spine disability and initial compensable rating for his right index finger disability are also pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of a left thumb disability due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The remaining issues of service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for a right knee condition, sleep apnea, a low back condition, a bilateral eye condition, hypertension, and sinusitis/allergies have been granted. The remaining claim of service connection for a left knee condition is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran is entitled to payment or reimbursement for the cost of medical treatment provided at the Physicians Regional Medical Center on January 25, 2013, and on a date in March 2013 due to excruciating lumbar pain with radiation to the left leg. The nearest VA facilities were not feasibly available, and the Veteran acted reasonably by seeking emergency care.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder by way of aggravation. The low back disability claim is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is related to his service and grants this claim.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back or knee disability in service, and the Veteran's current disabilities are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was consistently manifested by Level I hearing loss in both ears, and his lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. As such, an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted, and a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for a degenerative joint disease and strain of the lumbar spine. The dental claim remains pending as additional records are needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine, left ankle, and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of evidence, including obtaining treatment records from Ruleville Century Hospital and SSA disability benefits records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a request for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to his service, including a jeep accident therein. The current condition was diagnosed approximately 38 years after discharge from service.