Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical records and opinions regarding the Veteran's low back disability, including whether it is related to his service-connected left foot bunion.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide the Veteran with proper notice of his scheduled Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's chronic lumbosacral strain and arthritis have been rated at 10% each. The increased rating to 20% for the lumbosacral strain is granted, as it meets the criteria for a 20% rating based on forward flexion of less than 60 degrees.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back condition is not related to her active duty service and therefore denied her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine strain has been rated at 10 percent, reflecting limitation of motion without severe muscle spasm or guarding resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a head injury, including cervical degenerative disc disease, is granted as the evidence supports that his current condition is related to his in-service head injury.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied as there is no current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional evidentiary development due to the appellant's request for a video-conference hearing. The appeal is not yet decided on the merits of service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the appellant's claim for additional development, including obtaining medical records and service personnel records. The case will be returned to the Board after this is completed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for SMC purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board found that the Veteran's upper and lower back disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year thereafter. The current diagnoses are not presumed due to exposure to Agent Orange or other known risk factors.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation for his service-connected low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated medical evidence and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's initial ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted, but the specific details of the ratings are not provided in the decision summary.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that an initial rating in excess of 20 percent is not warranted on a schedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for low back disability. The decision is mixed as it grants some issues (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) and denies others (low back disability).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess his lumbar spine disability and stomach disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran had a current diagnosis of PTSD, related to his military service.