Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service records from the Veteran's period of active duty in the Army, which may be relevant to his claim for a low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining opinions from an orthopedic specialist regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected right tibia and fibula disability and his claimed hip and back disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate disability and back disability are not related to his service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of his TDIU claim. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of this development.

The Board is remanding the case to further develop and consider the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, including as secondary to his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis. The VA examiner must provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current lumbar spine disorder was caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for his right shoulder disorder, which he claims was caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability and diabetes. The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's left hip arthritis is found to be at least as likely as not caused by his in-service injury, and service connection for this condition is granted. The low back and left lower extremity conditions are unclear due to conflicting medical opinions and need further examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining his Vocational Rehabilitation file and scheduling him for a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbosacral intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the current condition did not have its onset during active service or become manifest within the first post-service year and was not caused by any event, injury, or disease incurred in active service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher disability evaluation for degenerative disc disease and spondylosis of the lumbar spine was granted, with an effective date of December 30, 2005. The Veteran is now rated at 20 percent for this condition from that date forward. Separate evaluations of 10 percent each were assigned for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from the same effective date.

The Veteran's lumbar strain disability was found not to meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to April 10, 2015. Since then, it has not been found to meet the criteria for a 40% rating.

The Veteran's left leg sciatica has been manifested by no more than mild incomplete paralysis, which is consistent with the currently assigned 10 percent rating. The Board finds that the schedular evaluation adequately contemplates his disability picture and does not warrant an extraschedular rating.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and a higher rating for low back disability. As such, the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings prior to October 5, 2009 were denied as the evidence did not show ankylosis or marked limitation of motion in either foot.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating as his flexion, extension, and rotation are all within limits that do not meet criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including a VA examination to assess his service-connected degenerative disc disease and whether he is unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed low back disability or tailbone removal, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and likely etiology of the Veteran's claimed thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities. The case is therefore being remanded for appropriate VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and issues with range of motion testing. The Veteran's lumbar spine and left shoulder disabilities are still under review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development due to the need for clarification of diagnoses, etiology opinions, and consideration of aggravation by service-connected disabilities.