Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disorder with left leg radiculopathy is likely due to a motor vehicle accident during service, and granted service connection based on direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical, dorsal, and lumbar spine disabilities were not incurred in service. The evidence does not show a current disability related to military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraine headaches. The claim for a back disorder is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss disability and service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and a bilateral leg condition, finding that there was no evidence of continuity of symptomatology or a link between current conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to determine the nature of his low back disability and its relationship to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a temporary total disability rating based on the need for convalescence following surgical treatment of his lumbar spine are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and conducting new VA examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability was not incurred or aggravated by his military service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain has been rated at 10 percent since August 29, 2008. The evidence does not support a higher rating during this period.

The Veteran's initial ratings for diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and thoracolumbar spine disability were denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for higher initial ratings in any of these cases.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for completion of an examination and additional development. The issues are whether he should receive a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability with degenerative changes, and if he has lumbar radiculopathy that is secondary to this condition.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder, thus denying the reopening of the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is not related to military service.,The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders are related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed low back, right foot, left foot, and vision disabilities as they were not shown to be related to active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disorder are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine arthritis and residuals of an injury to the thoracolumbar spine, finding no new evidence that would reopen the previously denied claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a scheduled videoconference hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after appropriate action.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA neurological examination to assess any neurological abnormalities or radiculopathy associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, status post discectomy, is rated at 40 percent since November 20, 2010. The claim for TDIU was denied.