Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain but has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease L5-S1 due to insufficient evidence.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disorder is dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all listed conditions and the 10 percent evaluation based on multiple, non-compensable service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for low back disability. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new evidence and a proper medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for neck and back disorders is dismissed as the Veteran never intended to file a claim for VA compensation benefits.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy claims were denied as the evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable criteria.,Compensable ratings for scars of the posterior and anterior trunk were also denied due to lack of qualifying scar area or underlying soft tissue damage.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, and there is no evidence of bilateral hearing loss or a current thoracolumbar spine disorder. Service connection for joint pain and a thoracolumbar spine disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal of the proposed decrease in disability rating for lumbosacral strain from 40% to 20% has been dismissed. The Board also remanded cases regarding increased ratings for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, as well as TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and errors in obtaining opinions. The issues of low back strain, left knee condition, and left hip condition are being reviewed.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence. The initial rating for tinnitus remains denied, and the left elbow contusion is rated as noncompensable. Right wrist sprain also remains denied. Service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee tendonitis, and lumbosacral strain are remanded.

The Veteran's skin disability and back disability were restored to their previous ratings of 30% and 20%, respectively, effective September 3, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis or intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS).,Service connection for a cervical spine disability with TBI residuals was also denied due to lack of credible evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, a back condition, erectile dysfunction, flatfoot, hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or service connection.,No VA examinations were conducted to support the claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and secondary service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as related to the now service-connected low back disability.,The claim of readjudication for service connection for bilateral pes planus is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability, bilateral hearing loss (left ear), and tinnitus. The Veteran's lower back condition was found to have existed prior to his military service and not aggravated by it.,For the left ear, there is no evidence of current hearing loss meeting VA criteria.

The Board granted service connection for a cervicothoracic spine disability, including degenerative disc disease and arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities were due to an injury incurred during his period of INACDUTRA in October 1991. The appeal was remanded for other issues.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because she does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability, as her right hip disability alone does not qualify. The Board found that multiple of her service-connected disabilities contribute to her difficulty in maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and low back disability due to new evidence indicating that the VA examination did not consider all relevant lay statements, including those from the Veteran. The claims are now pending again with instructions to obtain updated treatment records and schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the possible existence of outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and developmental errors, including a failure to order further testing or explain why such testing was not completed.