Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and lumbar spine disability (claimed as low back pain) were denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was not granted, and there is no prior unadjudicated claim for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lower back, heart condition, and hypertension disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during active service.,There is no evidence of any current disability related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete examination records, outstanding VA treatment records, and potential need for further examinations. The claims will be considered together as they are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 10 percent, the minimum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, requiring a VA medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability. The Veteran contends his current condition is related to service, specifically two in-service incidents of muscle strain.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder, low back disorder, and secondary hip and leg disorders. The evidence received since the prior denial was not considered material in relation to the merits of these claims.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly his back issues.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance was denied as he does not have a service-connected skin disability that causes damage to his outer garments.

The Veteran's low back disability was not shown to warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 16, 2007.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease and/or posttraumatic stress disorder, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for scar of the right anterior neck and residuals of a shell fragment injury, and ratings in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities associated with lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including a strain and degenerative disc disease, is rated at 10 percent. The associated radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is also rated at 20 percent. There is no separate rating for the right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and initial evaluations for his service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the lower extremities was denied by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus was not incurred or aggravated by service, as it was noted at service entrance and did not worsen beyond its natural progression during service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his cervical spine disability was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition warranted an increase in rating beyond the assigned 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine DDD with herniated disc L3-4 and L4-5 has been manifested by forward flexion to 90 degrees, and combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine of 185 degrees. These findings do not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent prior to November 6, 2013 or from January 1, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining outstanding SSA records.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during his first period of active duty service from December 2008 to January 2010.,The Veteran has a current right knee disorder and the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it was incurred in or aggravated by service.