Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment since August 26, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus, hyperpituitarism, hypertension, and lumbosacral strain have been denied. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to May 15, 2013 has also been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder did not manifest during service and is not related to any incident of service. The Veteran also does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's low back and neck disabilities were not shown to be related to service, and the Board denied service connection for these conditions.,PTSD was rated at 50% from February 7, 2011 to June 2, 2014, and at 70% thereafter. The Veteran's PTSD did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's myofascial lumbar syndrome has been manifested by subjective complaints of pain and objective findings of forward flexion to 90 degrees without evidence of any separately ratable neurological manifestations, ankylosis, or intervertebral disc syndrome with any period of incapacitation. The current rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine is adequate.

The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with compression fracture at L2 is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing. The issue of TDIU prior to March 10, 2009 remains on hold until further notice.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has not manifested forward flexion of 30 degrees or less, and there is no evidence of favorable ankylosis. Therefore, a higher rating in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar spondylosis is denied.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed for the Veteran's right shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as to determine the etiology of his current right ankle disability. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for acne and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease were denied, while the claim to reopen service connection for a psychiatric disorder was also denied. The rating assigned for the lumbar spine degenerative joint disease is 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were granted. He is now rated at 30 percent for his left big toe disability, with additional ratings for his right foot condition, low back disability, and right hip disability due to residuals of the hairline fracture.,New evidence submitted since the June 2002 rating decision has reopened his claims for service connection for knee disabilities. He is now rated at 30 percent for each knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her low back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show a current disability related to her inservice complaints of pelvic pain, which is necessary to establish service connection.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability was granted a 40 percent evaluation prior to April 18, 2014. The right lower extremity radiculopathy received a separate 20 percent evaluation prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current heart, bilateral hip, or low back disability associated with her service. As such, she cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with scheduling a VA examination and verifying the Veteran's address. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's back condition was not present during service and did not manifest until many years after service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection or secondary service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for PTSD with depression, migraine headaches, and endometriosis. The Veteran is found to have a current diagnosis of PTSD with depression that is related to her active military service.