Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a new opinion regarding his back disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain VA and private treatment records, service personnel records, and examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including post right knee arthroplasty and degenerative disc disease at L4, L5, and S1, render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to her permanent and total disability rating.

The Board has ordered additional development of the Veteran's claims due to outstanding VA treatment records. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed back and ankle disorders are not related to his active service, with no nexus found between any current diagnoses and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss, skin disability, or thoracolumbar spine disability. The VA examiner found it less likely than not that these disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is related to service and grants service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining employment history and treatment records. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are expected to impact his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a right knee disorder. The claim to reopen a right knee disorder was also denied. The decision did not address the TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher schedular ratings for her right knee disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's hypertension was not service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, effective December 30, 2014. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted for any period.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, including a scar; bilateral hearing loss; and a right hand disorder. As such, these claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at a maximum of 50 percent since July 23, 2015. His right shoulder tendonitis remains at the 10 percent rating. The Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for his pseudofolliculitis barbae and onychomycosis.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease and disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was granted. The claim for a compensable evaluation for migraine and tension headaches from January 20, 2015, was also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess his left foot calcaneal spurs and low back disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back strain and determined that new evidence received since the initial denial is sufficient to reopen the claim. However, the Board found no evidence linking the current low back disability to service.