Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran's left hand disorder, characterized as a scar of the left thumb, was incurred in service. The neck and right shoulder disorders were not found to have their origins during service or for many years thereafter. The back disorder was also not found to be related to service. However, the reduction of the 30 percent rating assigned for the veteran's right hand disorder to a 10 percent rating was upheld as proper.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain, service connection for bilateral lower extremity Dupuytren's nodules (claimed as nodules in feet), and service connection for bilateral upper extremity Dupuytren's nodules (claimed as nodules in hands). The claim of service connection for bilateral hip pain was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected residuals of a fracture, lumbar vertebrae 4, right transverse process is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee condition, right leg condition, and back disorder. The claim for an increased initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development due to compliance with legal provisions of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 and consideration of newly submitted evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen his previous denial. The decision stated that while there was an in-service injury, no medical link could be established between the current condition and service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including consideration of additional evidence and adjudication of the issue of service connection for PTSD.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not show an increase in symptomatology warranting a higher evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events. The issues of increased ratings for chronic low back strain and left knee disability, as well as service connection for PTSD, will be reconsidered.

The Board dismissed the appeals of service connection for pancreatitis and malnutrition, cervical spine disability, and duodenal ulcer with gastritis due to a lack of timely filed substantive appeal. The lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is rated at 40 percent.

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 VA denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbar spine osteoarthritis and a TDIU, as the medical evidence indicated that the condition was manifested by pain and moderate limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. The claims for service connection for residuals of degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine are denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected low back strain with disc bulge.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected degenerative disc disease and service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and osteoarthritis of the ankles, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an examination and medical opinion regarding his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected low back disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and employment-related records.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of revised rating criteria.