Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and a leg disability, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim of service connection for the back disability. The Board also found no current leg disability related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic left shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, and bilateral foot disorders were denied as there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's lumbar paravertebral myositis was rated at 10 percent from May 21, 1991 to December 15, 2003. After this period, the disability warranted a higher rating of 20 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's current lumbar spine disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection. The Board also found that his photophobia, which preexisted service, was not aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar strain with herniated L4-5 and systolic murmur, pulmonary area.,Service connection was not established for either condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for back and left knee disabilities, as well as his claim for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not establish new and material evidence to reopen any of these claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a skin disability of the feet (claimed as jungle rot), a bilateral shoulder disorder, a neck disorder, and a back disorder have all been denied. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disorder and granted service connection. The cervical spine disorder and leg cramps claims are denied.

The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with spondylolisthesis prior to October 1, 1998 was granted. The issue of an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the condition beginning on October 1, 1998 and prior to October 4, 2005 was denied. The claim of service connection for a left hip disorder was not reopened.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and providing the veteran with VCAA notice. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left hip condition, as well as his increased rating claims for frostbite of the right hand and left hand. The evidence did not support the veteran's contention that he had these conditions due to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board granted a combined rating of 60 percent for the service-connected low back strain, with separate ratings for orthopedic manifestations and incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve in both legs. The veteran's bilateral knee disability was also found to be service connected.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, clarify the status of a VA examination, and determine if an extraschedular rating is warranted for his low back disability.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorders and left hip condition, finding no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The veteran's current conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder and determined that new and material evidence has been submitted. The current diagnosis of spondylosis of the lumbar spine is not related to service, as there is no direct evidence linking it to military service or any other established condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 3, 2004, for the grant of NSC pension benefits as there was no evidence that his previously listed disabilities had worsened since June 5, 2000.

The Board found that the veteran's Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine do not warrant increased ratings.

The Board denied the reopening of a previously denied claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current cervical spine and trapezius strain conditions are related to his service from December 2003 to January 2005.