Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2003

The Board has granted a temporary 100 percent rating for the period from April 30, 1999, to July 31, 1999. For the period from August 1, 1999, the veteran's low back disability is rated as 60 percent disabling.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues regarding service connection for back conditions and an increased rating for chronic lumbosacral strain. The case is being sent back to the RO for additional examination and consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability and an earlier effective date prior to September 17, 2001 for an award of a total rating for nonservice-connected disabilities for pension purposes. The veteran was granted nonservice-connected VA pension benefits with an effective date of September 17, 2001 due to his entitlement from the Social Security Administration.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability. The veteran's allegations of in-service back pain are not supported by service records, but his statement is considered credible. There is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology or treatment post-service. As such, the Board finds that current pathology was manifest more than a decade after service and denies service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for further medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for low back disability. The claims for pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus are still pending as they have not yet been decided.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim and granted service connection for a low back disorder, diagnosing it as failed back syndrome.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, but denied his claim for TDIU. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and to determine if there are any new and material pieces of evidence that could support reopening the service connection claim.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee and back disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied his claims.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine from May 7, 1991 to November 14, 1994.

The Board has ordered a remand to reconcile different opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's current low back disorder. The case is returned for further development and readjudication.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of lumbar strain, hypertension, and tinea pedis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and denied an initial, compensable disability evaluation for residuals of a simple fracture of the 6th rib. The veteran's claims were remanded due to insufficient development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected low back disability does not warrant a compensable rating, and his claims for hypertension and elevated cholesterol, lipids, and triglycerides are denied as they do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to procedural issues.

The Board has ordered further development due to incomplete records and the need for verification of service. The case will be remanded for additional evidence collection.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional evidence. The case is now being sent back to the RO for specific actions, including obtaining in-patient treatment records and arranging for an orthopedic examination.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues regarding the veteran's back disorder. The case will be returned for additional evidence and review.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding no evidence that any current low back disability resulted from events in service.