Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and peripheral neuropathy are not related to service or any incident of service. The appeal for these conditions must be denied.

The Board has remanded the case to verify the veteran's service periods and schedule him for a VA examination to determine if his claimed conditions are related to his military service. The appellant will also be provided with VCAA notice.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the veteran's current back disability is related to his service-connected injury in June 1986. The case is therefore being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for low back injury, finding no evidence of such an injury during active duty and insufficient post-service medical records to establish chronicity.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for spondylolysis of the lumbar spine based on new medical evidence provided by Dr. H.J.F.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for disability of the lumbar spine and an increased evaluation for bilateral pes planus, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and headaches, finding that the veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for post-operative degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine. The issue of secondary service connection for GERD and disability of the stomach is remanded for further development.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for a back disorder secondary to his right ankle disability was dismissed due to lack of timely filing of a substantive appeal. The TDIU issue is held in abeyance.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for his knee and low back conditions, finding no evidence of aggravation during service or significant functional impairment.

The Board denied the claim for an increased rating for postoperative intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, finding that the veteran's disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations of her service-connected lumbosacral strain, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, and stress fracture of the left pubis. The ratings were found to be appropriate based on the current evidence.

The Board denied service connection for Paget's disease of the left knee and degenerative disc and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, finding no evidence of a nexus to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a temporary total rating and reduction of his disability evaluation, finding that the surgery was not related to a service-connected condition and that the reduction from 40% to 20% as of October 1, 2003, was proper.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back condition is not related to his period of active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information in the VA examination report, and the need for a new opinion on whether the veteran's current low back disorder is related to his service.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for VCAA notification and a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran should be afforded a VA examination to determine the etiology of his currently diagnosed degenerative disk disease, and the RO or AMC must provide notice concerning the disability-rating and effective-date elements of his claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).