Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2009

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including a social and industrial examination to assess the cumulative impact of his service-connected disabilities on his unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and readjudication of her claims.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (specifically major depression rather than PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's lumbar sprain is attributable to service. The other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's lumbosacral sprain with DDD is currently rated at 40 percent, and the VA examiners have found no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of the issues on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a contemporaneous medical examination considering the Veteran's prior medical history, and the need for a thorough and informed decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is etiologically related to his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the Board finds no evidence linking the Veteran's ganglion cysts or bilateral shoulder disorders to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication in accordance with a Joint Motion for Remand. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is pending.

The Veteran is granted a 50 percent rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, effective October 31, 1999. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU based on his service-connected disability is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for chronic prostatitis, prostate cancer, gout, and low back disability as secondary to service-connected left varicocele. The claims of service connection for a right leg disability, heart condition, hypertension, bilateral elbow, knee, and ankle disabilities were also denied.

The Board finds that it is as likely as not the Veteran's right knee disability and back disability are related to his active service.

The Board found no evidence of a current service-connected low back disorder and concluded that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not related to his time in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected compression fracture of L2 with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and his claim for an increased rating has been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his claimed spinal and sinus conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a spine examination to determine if the Veteran's current low back disability is related to his in-service complaints. The appeal will be considered after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for lumbar disc disease with arthritis was granted, and he withdrew his appeals for service connection of diverticulitis and abnormal EKG.