Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records and readjudicating the issues on appeal.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative disc disease of the low back and residuals of a right leg fracture, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings based on the current symptoms.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of an injury to the low back is being remanded due to incomplete documentation and need for further development.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for lumbosacral strain and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee were denied as her conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and requests for additional information.

The Board has found the veteran's statements concerning a continuity of symptomatology following service to be credible and has determined that service connection is granted for the veteran's low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and need for further examination and verification of service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence of a claim prior to February 21, 2002. The effective date for the grant of service connection for residuals, right knee injury was set at February 21, 2002. Service connection for arthritis, left knee and degenerative disease, lumbosacral spine were denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within the presumptive period. The claim for psychiatric disorder was also denied due to lack of evidence.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected chronic low back pain syndrome is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from the Northampton VA Medical Center.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic rhinitis, degenerative spondylosis of the lumbar spine, and left knee disability. However, it found that a higher rating is not warranted under current criteria.

The Board found no evidence of a low back injury in service and concluded that the veteran's current lumbar spine disability is not related to his military service. The cervical spine issue was remanded for further development, including obtaining a medical nexus opinion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and headaches, as well as his requests to reopen previously denied claims regarding the residuals of a gunshot wound to the right hip and herniorrhaphy. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hepatitis C were also not awarded prior to July 30, 1993.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, right eye disability manifested by loss of vision, and bilateral shoulder disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's neck and back disorders were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied her claims for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as his combined disability rating is less than 60% and he does not have at least one disability rated at 40% or more. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of unemployability due to his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a travel board hearing. The issues of rating his low back pain, right knee condition, and left knee condition are pending.

The VA determined that the veteran's low back disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating since December 6, 2001.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the wrists and thumbs, but denied service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and denied service connection for a back disorder.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his low back strain with degenerative changes is being remanded due to the need for further development and clarification of whether any current neurological symptoms can be solely attributable to the low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disability, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent.