Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of service dates and VA examinations to determine if any current conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including opinions regarding whether his psychiatric disorder and back disability are caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to August 15, 2005, or any earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability and low back disability are both service-connected, with no issues regarding secondary service connection or presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability, including degenerative disc disease, is rated at a combined 60 percent since June 10, 2010. The claim for TDIU prior to December 30, 2011 is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and issuing a Statement of the Case on the increased rating issue. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disability, finding that the new evidence submitted was not material and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral degenerative disc and degenerative joint disease was found to be manifested by limitation of motion, flare-ups, significant pain, and functional impairment that more closely approximated limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or less. The Board granted a 40% rating for this disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's onychomycosis of the great toes was not present in service and is not etiologically related to his active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for this condition has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings, and he is now eligible for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service acoustic trauma. The remaining claims of service connection for neck, shoulder, back, hip, and leg disabilities have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disorder, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations. The issues of service connection for various disabilities remain on appeal.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeals are granted.

The Board denied reopening the claim for a back disorder and found no new and material evidence. The right foot bunion was not incurred in service.

The Board found no current low back, right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, or left wrist conditions to support service connection. The Veteran's symptoms were attributed to non-service-connected causes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a higher rating for his lumbar spine disorder, but not for the left knee disorder or TDIU.