Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to higher initial evaluations for the veteran's service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board found that there is no current right knee disability and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current manifestations of his cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding no evidence of a chronic disability related to his active duty service or any other basis for granting these claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities, including back, heart, right knee, and right eye disorders. The psychiatric disorder claim was also denied as secondary to other service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with disc disease, finding that his current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder is not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between his in-service injury and current disability.

The veteran's appeal for service connection of a low back disability was remanded due to the failure to conduct a VA examination. The case is now returned to the Board for further action.

The Board found no evidence of degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine occurring during service or within one year thereafter, and concluded that it was not related to the veteran's military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability did not have its onset during service and is not related to any in-service injury. The VA examiner concluded there was no evidence linking the veteran's current condition to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral strain and irritable bowel syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, updated VA treatment records, and consideration of new rating criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, skin rash, and multiple myeloma. The evidence does not support these claims as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions that can be linked to military service.

The Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's degenerative disc disease, residuals of low back injury with radiculopathy left lower extremity, effective from September 23, 2002. The rating is based on incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12 months.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine injury, left foot injury, and left ankle injury.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the case can be decided, including obtaining missing service medical records and a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's back disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of cervical and lumbar spine, degenerative disease of right shoulder and hands, and arthritis of left shoulder, hips, knees, and ankles. The issues of entitlement to service connection for degenerative disease of the right shoulder and hands, and arthritis of the left shoulder, hips, knees, and ankles are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability. The veteran's skin disorder is currently under consideration, but further examination is needed to determine its etiology.

The veteran's claims were denied because he is a fugitive felon and compensation benefits are prohibited for this period.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service and no link to service. The preponderance of the evidence supported the denial.