Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed low back, right knee, left knee, and stomach disabilities.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral myofascial pain syndrome, finding moderate limitation of motion in his lower spine.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has ordered the case to be remanded for further development due to missing VA treatment records, incomplete service personnel records, and a need for an etiological opinion regarding the veteran's current low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of arthritis of the hips, knees, elbows, or ankles that is attributable to his active military service. The claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted. The right hip claim remains denied as new and material evidence has been received but the claim is still denied on the merits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic lumbar spine disorder is not related to her service-connected stress reaction, left medial tibial plateau, and stress reaction, right medial tibial plateau.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for her lumbosacral strain and special monthly compensation on the basis of need for regular aid and attendance are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board finds that the veteran is not entitled to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his residuals of a T6 compression fracture prior to September 26, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need to consider service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, including as secondary to service-connected right knee disability.

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

The veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 and L5-S1. The case must be remanded to obtain additional medical records, provide proper notice under 38 U.S.C.A. § 5103(a) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(b), and then re-adjudicate the claim.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for psychiatric disorders, alcoholism, borderline personality disorder, left hip iliopsoas tendonitis, right hip iliopsoas tendonitis, and lumbosacral strain. The veteran will be notified if further action is required on her part.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disorder is proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability, including shortening of the left lower extremity. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection for a chronic low back disorder is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for back and stomach disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen these claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for a pelvic fracture and back disorder. As such, these claims remain denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for varicose veins in both legs, a back disorder, a seizure disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's skin condition of the face is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back condition due to new and material evidence. However, the VA examiner found that there is no relationship between the current low back condition and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for bilateral pes cavus and service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to military service or service-connected bilateral pes cavus.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a back disability. The VA examiner found evidence of degenerative changes in the thoracic and lumbar areas, but did not address the inservice diagnosis of Scheuermann's disease. The case is being remanded to obtain SSA records and conduct further examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of cervical and lumbosacral spine disorders, as well as his claim for residuals of a head injury. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen any of these claims. Additionally, the Board determined that any residual disability from the September 1966 incident was due to the veteran's intoxication at the time.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation, service connection, and reopening of a claim were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for an increased rating or service connection based on his claimed conditions.