Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a low back disorder that he believes is secondary to his service-connected right femur fracture. The Board has determined that additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for an examination, is necessary before the claim can be decided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disorders of the lumbar spine, bilateral knees, and bilateral hips are in part proximately caused by and aggravated by his service-connected left Achilles tendonitis. The VHA specialist concluded that these conditions were related to the altered gait resulting from the left ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and treatment records, as well as further development of his claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for lumbosacral spondylolisthesis and found that new and material evidence had not been received. The proteinuria claim was also denied as it is a laboratory finding rather than a disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (lumbosacral strain, major depressive disorder, and bilateral pes planus) combine to make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's appeal is not about service connection and thus does not address any of his claims for service connection. The case must be remanded to schedule a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, left knee, right foot, and left foot disabilities are rated as noncompensable under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board grants separate compensable ratings (10%) for each disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing due to his request, and the case will be processed in accordance with established appellate procedure.

The case is being remanded for further development, including a new VA orthopedic examination and a VA audiological examination to determine the current level of severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine injury and bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if her back disorder, including as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus, was caused or aggravated by her service-connected disability. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also deferred until the service connection issue is resolved.

The Board granted an increased disability evaluation of 40 percent for lumbar spine degenerative changes, effective from May 11, 2012. The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy were each assigned a 10 percent initial disability evaluation, while chronic sinusitis with right nasal obstruction was increased to 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected back disability was denied as there is no evidence of incapacitating episodes or unfavorable ankylosis. The issue regarding TDIU was not addressed in this decision.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and consider the Veteran's request for VA compensation benefits from the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee arthritis is related to service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. The claim for a low back disorder secondary to the bilateral knee disability remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's service dates and outstanding records. The low back disability claim will be further developed, including obtaining additional medical opinions regarding aggravation of the condition by a pre-existing flat feet disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disorder is due to a motor vehicle accident during service and not pre-existing, thus granting service connection for degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic low back pain and neuritis of the left sciatic nerve, have prevented him from obtaining or retaining gainful employment.