Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2009

The veteran's lumbar spine disability is not entitled to an evaluation in excess of 40 percent, and the left knee disability is not entitled to an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's chronic right and left buttocks shell fragment wound residuals, chronic right forearm shell fragment wound residuals, chronic left forearm shell fragment wound residuals, chronic low back shell fragment wound residuals, and chronic tinnitus were incurred in military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, except for a 30 percent rating for coronary artery disease since February 18, 2008.

The Board found that the evidence submitted since the previous denials was not new and material, thus denying the claims to reopen for service connection of bronchial asthma, generalized anxiety disorder, and a back condition.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication of the increased rating claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings for her service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's left and right knee disabilities have been found to be no more than 10 percent disabling since October 20, 2003.

The Board finds that it is at least in equipoise that the veteran's current lumbar disc disease at L4-L5 is related to an injury incurred during service.

The Veteran's low back disability and hip disability were granted service connection, while sciatic neuropathy was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot condition, chronic neurological condition, lumbosacral spine disorder, degenerative disc disease, and sciatic neuropathy as there was no evidence of a current disability that was causally or etiologically related to active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for lumbosacral arthritis with chronic low back strain, finding that there was no basis under the law to support a claim of clear and unmistakable error in the February 3, 1987 rating decision or to grant an earlier effective date.

The appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's back, knee and stomach disorders.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease was remanded for another VA examination to evaluate the nature and severity of the disability.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the increased disability rating for right ankle arthritis was not timely filed and must be dismissed.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition with arthritis is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current back disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, a chronic back disability, and a bilateral eye disability as there was no competent evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation, nor any nexus to service.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a disability of the intestines, a back disability, and bilateral knee disabilities as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was remanded for a new medical examination to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including migraine headaches, a prostate disorder, circulatory disorders in the legs, skin and respiratory disorders, an eye disorder, hypertension, back disability, and post-traumatic stress disorder.