Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is being reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depressive disorder and anxiety), thyroid disability, and diabetes mellitus are remanded for further development.,PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depressive disorder and anxiety) are being remanded for a VA examination to determine their etiology. The claims for thyroid disability and diabetes mellitus are also being remanded for a VA examination to determine their etiology, with consideration of the Veteran's reported exposure to ionizing radiation during service.,PTSD is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its etiology due to possible military sexual trauma. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depressive disorder and anxiety) is also being remanded for a VA examination to determine its etiology.,The thyroid disability is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to the Veteran's service, including her reported exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The claim for diabetes mellitus is also being remanded for a VA examination to determine its etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for Bell's Palsy and remanded the remaining issues of service connection for other conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD with depressive features is granted, and the claims for right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are remanded due to procedural defects.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and prostate cancer with residual erectile dysfunction, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims based on direct service connection or any presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the addition of her child as a dependent for additional compensation purposes was denied because the first formal claim was received on May 7, 2012. The effective date is set at June 1, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a low back disorder due to service or as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding continuity of symptoms and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the appeal was dismissed due to failure to timely file a notice of disagreement regarding an effective date issue.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 30, 2010 for the award of TDIU and a rating of 70% for lumbosacral strain. The earlier effective dates for right lower extremity radiculopathy are also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his residuals of a low back injury, have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment. The decision is in favor of granting TDIU.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his service. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further proceedings.

The VA Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's low back disability, effective from September 3, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied as new and material evidence had not been received. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of right ankle injury is pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back condition is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his sacroiliac sclerosis with prolapse and lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to November 15, 2011, but from that date forward, it supported at least a 40 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of ulcerative proctitis, which is essentially a variant of ulcerative colitis already established as service-connected. The remaining claims are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to conflicting medical evidence and additional development is required.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed lumbar spine disability and disability manifested by joint and muscle pain, including as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, right leg radiculopathy, and left leg radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.