Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an anxiety disorder, degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability secondary to the right knee disability and denied increased ratings for right knee instability and arthritis. The claim of entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's low back disorder, but further development is needed to determine an appropriate rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with bilateral foraminal stenosis L3-4, L5-S1 and degenerative arthropathy L2-3, L5-S1 as it found that a rating in excess of 60 percent is not warranted under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability is not related to his service-connected knee disability, and thus denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to verify the veteran's reported in-service stressor for PTSD and to obtain a statement of the case regarding the back disorder issue.

The Board found that the veteran's arthritis of the right knee, both hands, wrists, and cervical and lumbar spine is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disabilities.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a more contemporary VA examination.

The veteran's appeal involves increased ratings for various knee and back conditions, including DJD of the lumbosacral spine, bursitis of the right trochanteric bursa, arthritis, instability, and postoperative residuals of a medial meniscectomy. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Board has determined that the reduction in the rating for the veteran's lumbar spine disability from 60 percent to 20 percent was proper, and the criteria for a higher rating are not met.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected residuals of a laminectomy, including degenerative disc disease, of the thoracolumbar and lumbar spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to his service-connected bilateral tarsal tunnel syndrome in January 1997. The RO has now denied the veteran's petition to reopen this claim, finding no new and material evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and the veteran's claim to reopen was also denied. The VA examiner found no link between any event of service origin and post-service degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 and a herniated disc at L4-L5.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current low back disability, sinusitis, or stomach symptoms to service.,Specifically, the Board noted that any current conditions were not caused by incidents of service.

The veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease was granted a 20% evaluation effective September 23, 2002. The left heel spurs and GERD with IBS were both granted initial evaluations.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and an increased evaluation for low back disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease, L5-S1, with herniated nucleus pulposus, status post right L5-S1 discectomy, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service and no correlation between the current disability and an incident during service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, as well as arthritis of the right hip, are related to injuries sustained during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA).