Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2010

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip bursitis, disability of the right knee, and left knee disability. The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition within one year post-service discharge or any nexus to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, with the exception of a claim to reopen due to new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of whether his inability to control bowel movements is related to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with an adequate VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the claimed conditions to his military service.

The Veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his service-connected lumbar spine osteoarthritis, with the appeal covering both initial evaluations and subsequent increases.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development of his claims for secondary service connection to the right knee disability.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and a left knee disability. The Veteran asserts that his service-connected right knee disability caused or aggravated these conditions.

The Veteran's symptoms of muscle fatigue, shakes, twitching, right hip pain, neck pain, bowel problems, headaches, and skin disorders are attributed to diagnosed conditions (Multiple Sclerosis, cervical strain, degenerative joint disease, functional diarrhea, headache disorder, seborrhea, tinea versicolor) rather than an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, chronic depressive disorder (claimed as secondary to PTSD, headaches and right shoulder disability), initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder musculoligamentous strain and headaches, and an earlier effective date for service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine does not result in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine of 30 degrees or less, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months. As such, his disability rating remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative spondylosis of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating based on limitation of motion or associated objective neurologic abnormalities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities are not attributable to service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for scars, status-post skin grafts of the abdomen and right thigh was denied. His claim for an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine (claimed as a low back condition) was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to clarify whether the Veteran's scoliosis pre-existed service and if so, whether it was aggravated by military service. The examiner is asked to consider all relevant evidence including combat exposure and multiple back injuries in service.

The Veteran's right hip disorder and left hip fracture residuals are not currently diagnosed.,No new evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, low back pain, and right wrist fracture residuals.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his spine disorders and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, right ankle disability, and numbness of the fingers. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.