Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, finding no competent evidence linking his current lumbar spine conditions to an in-service injury. The only evidence supporting the claim were the veteran's lay statements.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete information and potential errors in previous communications.

The veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, fibromyalgia, and a chronic low back disability were denied as there is no objective evidence of current diagnoses or clinical nexus to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for low back disorders and granted service connection based on medical evidence linking current low back disorders to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss in the left ear had its onset during service and granted service connection for this condition. The Board also found no current disability of the left knee or chronic low back disability, thus denying these claims.

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbosacral strain does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, based on his symptoms and physical examination findings.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bursitis/degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, dental disability, PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, coronary artery disease, and lumbar degenerative disc disease, were denied. The conditions are not considered to be related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's back disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left hip disabilities due to a lack of competent evidence showing current disabilities related to service.

The Board granted service connection for disabilities of the left knee, left hip, and low back effective May 17, 2000. The claim for a left ankle disability was also granted effective May 17, 2000. No earlier effective dates are warranted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his medical records and a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the veteran's claims, including a VA genitourinary examination for prostatitis and a statement of the case addressing service connection for lumbar disc disease secondary to lumbar strain.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with VA examinations to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his kidney disorder and back disability. The claims will be re-adjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a failure to report for a VA examination and disparity in the veteran's address.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were denied due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations in August 2004.

The case is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a podiatry examination.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of a low back disorder as secondary to service-connected right knee disabilities, finding that appellant's current low back condition is more likely related to his workplace injury in 1983 than to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board determined that the veteran's congenital defect of the fifth lumbar vertebra is not a disease or injury for which service connection may be granted, and his acquired low back disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's low back disability has been rated at 20 percent since March 1999. The most recent evaluation, effective April 1, 2003, found that the condition likely results in severe overall limitation of lumbar spine motion and related functional loss warranting a higher rating.