Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing assistance or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use of lower extremities, blindness in both eyes, or anatomical loss of use of hands.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disorder or arthritis in service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic low back disorder and left ankle strain/sprain and spur are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of such conditions during active duty or for many years thereafter. The current disorders are attributed to natural aging processes and occupational activities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine and fractured ribs, left side. The claim for stomach pain was also denied as there is no evidence showing a current disability or any link to service.

The veteran's residuals of a shrapnel wound to the left hip have been rated at 20 percent since September 26, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims. The veteran's hearing loss was found to meet VA criteria for a disability, but his claim for service connection was denied as there is no evidence linking the current condition to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of L5-S1 and lumbar scoliosis are related to his service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently productive of no more than severe limitation of motion, without evidence of demonstrable deformity or ankylosis. The right hip disability has been rated at 20 percent since June 24, 2005 and denied for a higher rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a low back disorder. The evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to service or any incident of service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical examinations.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, and jungle rot. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities for the right and left knees, thoracic spine, cervical spine, or lumbar spine. The veteran's claimed spinal issues are attributed to post-service injuries.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA outpatient treatment records. The case will be reviewed after these records are obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the veteran's neurological symptoms and degenerative disc disease are related to his service-connected chronic low back strain.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, which was previously denied in an unappealed rating decision. The reopened claim is now being adjudicated on its merits.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing assistance or a special home adaptation grant due to his obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen his previously denied claims.

The veteran's cause of death, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was found to be related to his service-connected lumbosacral spine disorder. The need for regular aid and attendance due to the veteran's service-connected disabilities has not been established. However, the veteran is entitled to a TDIU for purpose of accrued benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to higher ratings for his anxiety disorder, chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, and residuals of shell fragment wounds to muscle group XVII with right ilium fracture. The claim of service connection for bilateral eye injury was also denied.