Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events. The veteran will be provided with VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric, bilateral knee, and low back complaints.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person was denied as he is not found to be in need of such assistance.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back disorder is not related to his in-service appendectomy and therefore denied service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his low back disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability due to new and material evidence. The issues of service connection for right leg, psychiatric disorders, and calcified cyst of spleen are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disorder, and as such, the claim is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disorder is more likely due to a workplace accident in 1988, not an in-service motor vehicle accident. As such, service connection was denied.

The veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted a 20 percent rating effective June 25, 2001. The TDIU claim is not supported by the evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of low back injury, finding that there was no nexus between his in-service injury and his current disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected low back strain, left knee arthroscopy residuals, and right knee disability were denied. The RO confirmed the current evaluations of 20%, 10%, and 10% respectively.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for residuals of a gunshot wound to the right foot and low back strain were denied. The RO assigned a 10 percent evaluation for each condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's prostate disability with urinary tract symptoms and low back disability are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disability in service and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video teleconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the Atlanta, Georgia RO. The issues include reopening his claim for bilateral pes planus and seeking service connection for various disabilities.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his lumbosacral spine disorder was granted, with a rating of 40 percent effective from August 18, 2003. The claim for service connection for ALS was also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities and readjudicating all issues on appeal.

The veteran's spine disability, characterized by radiculopathy and limited motion, has been granted a 60 percent rating.

The Board has determined that additional development is required in order to comply with the duty to assist, including scheduling a new VA examination for the veteran's service-connected low back disorder and migraine headaches.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, low back disability including arthritis, bilateral hip disability including arthritis, and bilateral knee disability including arthritis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.