Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the Veteran's complaints of back pain during and immediately after service are credible and consistent with his combat service in Iraq. The claim for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a separately diagnosed sleep disorder related to service or a service-connected disability. The claim for compensation purposes for loss of teeth numbers seven and eight is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar scoliosis with herniated lumbar disk is currently rated at 20 percent, effective November 27, 2009. The claim for increased rating remains in appellate status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and bilateral knee disabilities are related to his service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran meets the threshold requirements for TDIU due to a single service-connected disability rated at 40 percent or more and a combined rating of 70 percent or higher. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including depression, left knee disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, and left ankle and hemorrhoids.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip and low back pain. The case is now remanded to obtain VA treatment records, schedule a VA examination, and readjudicate the issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, prevented him from engaging in heavy physical or strenuous manual labor but did not prevent him from performing sedentary work.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back strain and left leg disability did not have their onset in active service, nor are they otherwise related to service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to outstanding treatment records and a need for a more recent VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing assistance in reopening a previously denied claim of service connection for a left ankle disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for posttraumatic lumbar spine residual degenerative joint disease, chronic sacroiliac and coccyx sprain, chronic posttraumatic residual left shoulder sprain and degenerative joint disease, posttraumatic right knee residual degenerative joint disease, posttraumatic left knee residual degenerative joint disease, and posttraumatic left ankle residual degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease with degenerative joint disease at L5-S1, to include as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities was also denied. The Board found that while the Veteran's service-connected conditions rendered him unable to work, they did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 40 percent disability rating for his service-connected low back disability, effective July 1, 2011.

The Board found that the Veteran is not precluded from securing or following substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected disabilities alone, and therefore, an extraschedular TDIU is not warranted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for superior mesenteric artery syndrome and a back disorder, as well as to obtain updated VA treatment records.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a low back disability in service or within one year post-service, and the current condition is not related to any incident during service. As such, the claim for service connection for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were partially granted. He was awarded a 20% rating for his chronic lumbosacral strain since April 19, 2013, but the issues of service connection for bilateral foot pain are still pending.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his cervical spine disability, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain the Veteran's complete treatment records and a clarifying opinion from Dr. F.W., who provided an opinion in June 2011.