Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2006

The veteran's left ankle and back disabilities are not found to be related to his service-connected right knee disability, leading to the denial of these claims.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, effective April 25, 2000.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing, and the RO in Montgomery, Alabama will schedule a new hearing at their local VA office.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development, including scheduling a hearing and readjudicating the claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability in service or related to a service-connected condition, resulting in denial of service connection. Increased ratings were granted for the left shoulder and post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee but not for internal derangement of the left knee.

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

The Board has found that the veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The chronic respiratory disability (sinusitis and rhinitis) claim is remanded for further development.

The veteran's mechanical low back pain with lumbosacral strain and degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 20 percent since December 10, 1998.

The veteran's low back disorder is currently evaluated at 20 percent, and the RO has determined that this evaluation is not warranted based on the evidence of record. The left knee and right ankle disorders are each currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a low back injury warrant a 20 percent rating since July 30, 1997.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected low back disability, pyrosis with reflux symptoms, and right knee disability were denied. The RO found that the schedular criteria for these conditions did not meet the requirements for higher ratings.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to determine his eligibility for special monthly compensation (SMC) by reason of being housebound, including evaluating the severity of his service-connected impaired sphincter control. The issue of an increased rating for impaired sphincter control is also referred back to the RO.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claims for left shoulder impingement and lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbosacral strain warrants restoration of a 20 percent disability rating effective August 1, 2002.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability during service and concluded that the veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Lakeland Regional Medical Center on March 3, 2000 were denied as he did not meet the criteria for payment under VA regulations.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's service and denied his claims for service connection for a skin condition and low back disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are a result of numerous parachute jumps during his period of active service, which resulted in multiple traumatic injuries to the spine. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.