Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2003

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including arthralgia of the lumbosacral spine and hypertension, render him unemployable, meeting the requirements for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disorder manifested by chest pains and costochondritis.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, but the claim remains denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current residuals of a low back injury were incurred in active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims are being remanded to the RO for consideration of new evidence and further readjudication.

The veteran's increased rating claim for traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected keratoconus of the right eye, lumbosacral strain, and thoracic strain.

The case is being remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication of the veteran's claims regarding his low back disability ratings from December 21, 1957, to January 27, 1994.

The Board granted an initial rating of 10 percent for the service-connected lumbar disc bulging with arthritis, effective December 29, 1997.

The Board has remanded the case for compliance with the Veterans' Claims Assistance Act of 2000, including proper notification and development of evidence. The issues include service connection for right knee disorder, low back strain (secondary to left knee disability), and increased ratings for left knee disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's low back disorder and denied entitlement to total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The veteran's headaches are found to be as likely as not related to his period of active military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral and right knee disabilities, as well as his claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition as secondary to the service connected back and right knee conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a back disorder secondary to his service-connected right knee disability and an increased rating for his right knee disabilities. The VA found no evidence that the back disorder was caused or aggravated by the right knee disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of the amended rating criteria for spinal disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and for effective dates earlier than June 26, 1996 for his ratings of residuals of a fractured nose and degenerative joint disease of the right knee.,Service connection was not granted because there is no medical evidence linking the current disabilities to service. The RO denied reopening the claim for low back disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic low back disability, bilateral pes planus, residuals of amputation of the third toe of the right foot, chronic headaches, and scars behind the ears. The appeals are all denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for mechanical low back pain and tendonitis of the right arm, finding that these conditions had their onset in service. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Board found that the evidence submitted since the denial in March 1993 is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claim for service connection for a low back disability.