Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2004

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a back disorder and denied all other claims due to lack of evidence linking the claimed conditions to active service.

The veteran's disabilities, including a CVA with left hemiparesis (30%), arthritis of the shoulders, knees, and lumbar spine (10%), and hypertension (10%), do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension benefits based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being remanded due to the failure to appear at scheduled VA examinations and the need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete notification and potential need for additional examinations.

The veteran's claims for neck injury, low back disability, and bilateral foot disability are being remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The veteran's service-connected low back disorder and dysthymic disorder do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including cervical spine disorder, finding no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen them.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his heart disease and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for pension benefits is being remanded due to the need for proper notification, additional medical evidence, and an updated VA examination.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for low back arthritis, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected right foot disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with a 10 percent rating assigned for each condition. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and review of the evidence to determine if any current knee or back disabilities are related to the appellant's military service, specifically his parachute jumps as a paratrooper.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative lumbosacral spondylosis is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's request to restore a 60 percent disability rating for his service-connected low back disability, which had been reduced from 60 percent to 40 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including additional VA examinations and a review of the claims file to ensure compliance with all due process requirements.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar arthritis with bilateral sciatica. The Board finds that the veteran's current low back problems are related to an inservice injury, thus granting service connection.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not show a worsening of his condition.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hematuria, bilateral eye disability, hypertension, headaches (claimed as secondary to a low back disability), and numbness of the fingers (claimed as secondary to a low back disability) have all been denied. The only competent opinion on the question of medical nexus confirms that none of these conditions are related to his service.,The veteran was granted service connection for a low back disability, but this does not affect the denial of the other claims.