Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board has ordered the RO to schedule a VA examination and clarify whether any current back disorder is related to service or if it resulted from an existing condition. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for his back injury, finding that it did not increase in severity during his period of active duty.

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

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability due to new evidence. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disability is remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of tendonitis of the knees, a back disorder with muscle spasm, tinnitus, removal of a tooth, or headaches that are related to service. As such, these claims for service connection are denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and bilateral knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence. The claim for left knee arthritis is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claims for service connection for chronic low back strain and arthritis of the spine, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment, or for adaptive equipment only.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased ratings for his lumbar spine and left shoulder disabilities.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain was rated at 10 percent from December 9, 1993 to March 10, 1998. From March 11, 1998 to September 17, 2002, the rating was increased to 40 percent.

The VA has granted a disability evaluation of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, effective June 7, 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran's appeal was timely filed and is addressing his claim for an increased rating for his service-connected back disability. The RO will schedule a VA examination to assess the current severity of the back disability, including any functional loss due to pain or other symptoms.

The veteran's claims are being remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected lumbar spine disabilities, including obtaining updated medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for reopening a claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back injury, an increased rating for a laceration scar of the right index finger, and an increased rating from an original grant of service connection for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The evidence did not support reopening any of these claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any low back disorder and/or right leg and thigh disorder, including obtaining treatment records from Dr. O'Dell and Social Security Administration records.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the January 1978 rating decision that granted service connection for cervical and lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease with a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for respiratory disorder, heart disability, bilateral knee spurring, bilateral foot spurs, lumbosacral strain, and bilateral shoulder degenerative changes as service connection is not established.,However, the Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee spurring, bilateral foot spurs, lumbosacral strain, and bilateral shoulder degenerative changes.

The Board denied all service connection claims, including for an acquired psychiatric disability (schizophrenia), a right knee disability, a low back disability, and headaches. The veteran's current psychiatric disability was not related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, low back disorder, or bilateral foot disorder due to lack of credible evidence supporting her claimed in-service stressors and current conditions.

The evidence does not support the claim that the veteran's low back disability is related to his military service.