Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability is not perfected regarding his other claims, and thus remands this specific issue to the RO for further development.

The veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a comprehensive medical examination.

The Board has remanded the veteran's appeal due to incomplete development and procedural deficiencies, including a need for additional medical opinions regarding her claimed conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for juvenile epiphysitis and low back injury with degenerative changes is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a myelogram report, scheduling a VA spine examination, and inquiring about Social Security Administration records.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that the veteran's experiences during World War II were tantamount to combat with the enemy and his reported in-service stressors are credible. The other claims of service connection for low back disorder, hearing loss disability, diabetes, and hypertension have been remanded for further development.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues and is remanding the case back to the Regional Office for additional consideration.

The Board found that the reduction of the evaluation for the veteran's post-operative cervical spine degenerative disc disease from 10 percent to noncompensable was improper.

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbar spine disability was not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to need for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and verifying service dates.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability in June 1975, finding that the condition preexisted service and was not aggravated by it. The veteran's motion alleges clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in this decision.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation of her service-connected low back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including consideration of revised criteria and new evidence.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for further VA assistance in obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder was aggravated by service, and thus granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities of prostatitis, dehydration, contusion to anal area, or lower back disability related to service. Therefore, his claims for these conditions are denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder was denied. The issue of new and material evidence for cervical osteoarthritis and left shoulder disorder was granted, but the veteran's request for a compensable evaluation for his left wrist ganglion cyst was denied.,The veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish that his current conditions are related to service.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluations for his lower back disability and hearing loss of the left ear was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for hearing loss of the left ear is October 26, 1988.

The Board denied service connection for a lung disorder and low back disorder, as well as an increase in the rating for left knee disorder. The veteran's current lung disorder is considered to have begun during his active duty. However, the low back disorder was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for DJD of the cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, right knee, left knee, and recurrent pulmonary emboli as secondary to service-connected melioidosis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and thus a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.