Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2008

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for scoliosis, spondylosis of the cervical spine, and intervertebral disc syndrome of the thoracolumbar spine to obtain additional medical records from SSA.

The veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle, right and left leg, and right hand conditions were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The veteran's initial rating for a postoperative bulging disc/degenerative disc at L4-5 and L5-S1 was denied as the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee arthritis and lumbar paravertebral myositis were denied, with the exception of a 20% rating from November 8, 1999, for the latter condition. The appeal regarding service connection was not timely filed.

The appeal is remanded for additional development and a VA medical opinion to address the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for mechanical low back pain syndrome with L5-S1 and L2-L4 discogenic disk disease and degenerative changes, as the evidence did not support a finding of a greater level of disability than previously assessed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative joint disease of the low back, as the severity of the disorder did not approximate findings which would support a higher evaluation.

The Board remands the case to obtain a new VA examination as the current evidence is inadequate to equitably adjudicate the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and a lumbar spine disability as there was no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication of the veteran's claims.

The Board grants service connection for Reiter's Syndrome, as the evidence reasonably establishes that it is related to gonorrhea diagnosed during service.

The Board granted the veteran's motion to advance his appeal on the Board's docket and found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen a claim for service connection for low back disability. The claims for increased ratings and service connection for left wrist/thumb/finger disabilities were denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and sciatic neuropathy of the left lower extremity were denied, as the evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further development.

The Board granted increased ratings for benign tremor of the right and left upper extremities, as well as cervical strain with osteoarthritis, but denied increased ratings for lumbar and thoracic strain with osteoarthritis and disc disease.

The Board denied service connection for disequilibrium, claimed as vertigo; a left knee disability; and a low back disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for headaches, pelvic disability, thoracic spine DDD, and mechanical low back pain were denied as the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The veteran was granted service connection for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine with a 30 percent disability rating, effective September 25, 2006.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability is being remanded for an additional VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was denied because there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury, or disease pertaining to the back and no competent medical evidence attributing the current disability to military service.