Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it had its onset from an injury, disease or event of active service origin.,The Veteran's conduction aphasia and receptive aprosodia (stuttering) are service-connected as they had their onset from an injury, disease or event of active service origin.,There is no evidence to support the claim for a cognitive disability. The Veteran has not been diagnosed with this condition during service or within one year after separation, and it is unrelated to any injury or disease in service.,The Veteran's headache disability does not meet the criteria for service connection as there is no evidence of such a condition during service or within one year after separation.,The Veteran has an undiagnosed illness manifested by sore and tender muscles/joint pain of the elbows, shoulders, calves, and knees. This condition had its onset from an injury, disease, or event of active service origin.,The Veteran has an undiagnosed illness manifested by low back pain. This condition also had its onset from an injury, disease, or event of active service origin.

The Veteran's dysthymic disorder due to chronic pain is currently rated at 30 percent since July 25, 2008. The other service-connected conditions have their respective ratings as described in the issues section.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his current disability and his military service. The case will be reviewed with a new VA examination to determine if there is any medical nexus.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee arthritis and instability, as well as an initial evaluation for his right knee disability were denied. The VA examiner found that the Veteran had DJD of the left knee with a flexion range to 140 degrees without pain.

The Board found that the Veteran's back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been so incurred.,There is no competent evidence relating any current psychiatric diagnosis to an incident of service or a service-connected disability. The Board concluded that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, Major Depression, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records from his treating physician and possibly scheduling an examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records and further examination or opinion may be needed.

The Board found that the Veteran's back and left hip disabilities are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability was not incurred in active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right shoulder or low back disability for which service connection can be granted, and thus denied both issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to her active military service for bilateral knee, low back, headache, or psychiatric conditions. As such, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board denied attorney fees as there were no past-due benefits awarded to the Veteran, and thus no cash payment from which the fee could be deducted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of his disability levels.

The Veteran's low back disability has been rated at 20 percent since August 9, 2006. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating prior to April 3, 2013 and grants a 40 percent rating effective from April 3, 2013. With consideration of service-connected low back strain only, the Veteran is not considered unemployable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further medical examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder and right shoulder disorder were not incurred or aggravated by active military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination and consideration of the TDIU claim. The issues include increased ratings for lumbar spine conditions and service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disorder is likely due to repetitive injury sustained during his period of active service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including determining eligibility for VA benefits and obtaining medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected radiculopathy and to ensure that he receives a proper rating.