Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2009

The Board found that the service treatment records do not contain any notation regarding a back injury or disorder, and there is no competent opinion indicating a nexus between the Veteran's claimed lumbar spine disorder and service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to clarify whether any currently diagnosed disability of the lumbar spine is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by documented in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation of his back disability and left ankle synovitis due to potential new evidence and need for further examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is not secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus, plantar flexed metatarsals, metatarsalgia, and hammer toes.

The Veteran's low back disability is not service-connected as it did not develop during his military service and there is no evidence linking the condition to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting lumbar spine condition was aggravated by her active military service, and thus grants her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an eye disorder, and a back disorder have been reopened. The Board will remand these issues to the RO for further consideration.,Service connection has not been established for any of the conditions listed.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, reflecting limitation of motion to 30 degrees of flexion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to determine his employment status and whether he has an employment handicap that prevents him from pursuing vocational rehabilitation training.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for tinnitus, as well as his claim for service connection for a low back disability. The Board found that there was no credible evidence linking any current low back disability to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the residuals of a pelvic bone fracture, right and left knee disabilities, gastroesophageal reflux disease, lumbar spine disability, migraine headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea did not warrant higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability in service and concluded that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease is not related to her military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various disorders he attributes to an adverse reaction to inoculations received during his Army Reserve service. The Board has ordered additional medical records and personnel records be obtained, as well as in-patient treatment records from the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center and Ireland Army Community Hospital.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant is denied as he does not qualify due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and personnel records, and providing the Veteran with an orthopedic examination to determine if his current bilateral hip conditions, left shoulder condition, and low back condition are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus at lumbosacral level with referred pain to the left leg was denied. The evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's low back disability and sciatica of the left lower extremity are related to his military service, either on a direct or secondary basis.,The Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left ankle and low back disabilities, finding that the current schedular criteria adequately described his disability levels.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for right and left knee disabilities, as well as bilateral tinnitus. The Veteran's service connection claims were not supported by new and material evidence.,Service connection was denied for a back disability due to lack of evidence linking it to military service.