Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2006

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease and left hip, right hip, and right leg radiculopathy disorders. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's back disability is not related to her service and denied her claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security records and providing VA examinations to determine if the veteran's disabilities are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back pain and post-operative residuals of left femoral neck fracture with right lower extremity shortening are pending.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a 60 percent rating for the veteran's low back disability, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that the disability increased to the required level prior to March 20, 2001.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including VA examinations and a review of medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbar laminectomy warrants a disability rating of 40 percent, effective from the date of the claim.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the claim for compensation under section 1151 for tardive dyskinesia was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or compensation benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back and neck disorders are not service-connected, and his bilateral knee strain is secondary to a service-connected condition. The veteran's erectile dysfunction was not found to be related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar mechanical back pain warrants a 60 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the November 2000 RO decision increasing his rating to 40 percent.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 20 percent since July 10, 1997. The claim for increased evaluation of the right hip bursitis was granted with a 10 percent rating effective from the date of claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural defects and additional development is required, including obtaining medical records for ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA periods, providing proper VCAA notice, scheduling a VA examination, and obtaining SSA records.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disorder is associated with a lumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder, both of which are secondary to the right knee. The veteran does not have a direct service connection for his cervical spine disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diagnosed degenerative joint disease of the lumbar and cervical spine, bilateral hearing loss, and respiratory disorder are not related to his military service. The veteran's left knee disability is also not linked to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back and right knee conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active duty military service, nor may arthritis be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a skin disorder due to new and material evidence. The back disorder claim is denied as there is no medical evidence of a current disability, and the PTSD claim remains at its current rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine are not supported by the evidence. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule the veteran for an orthopedic examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, chronic neuromuscular disorder (ALS), and residuals of head trauma due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with sciatica is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected mechanical low back pain with left-sided sciatica disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.