Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2010

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service. Service connection was denied for a back disorder and left foot stress fracture residuals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various symptoms are denied as there is no credible evidence of a chronic disability due to Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA orthopedic examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed low back and bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to his current symptoms.

The Board found that the Veteran's back disability existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, as their combined rating is 30 percent. The claim will be referred to the VA Director of Compensation and Pension Service for consideration on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbosacral spine. The RO previously granted service connection and assigned a non-compensable rating, but now seeks to determine if a compensable rating should be assigned based on recent medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected low back disability and right hip bursitis, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to his active service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 7, 2004 for the grant of service connection for right knee osteoarthropathy and lumbar spondylosis were denied as there was no evidence showing entitlement arose before that date.

The Board has granted entitlement to compensation benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right arm disability as a result of VA treatment in April 1979 and service connection for a lumbar spine disorder. The claim for hepatitis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his thoracolumbar spine disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for status post surgical repair, testicular torsion was withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision. The low back disability claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted, with the right knee meniscal repair receiving a 20 percent rating from July 8, 2007 to September 1, 2009. The other conditions received their respective initial disability ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the regulatory criteria for a bilateral hearing loss disability and denied service connection for his low back disability. The claim to reopen the knee condition was found to have new and material evidence, but no decision on this issue is provided.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his low back and bilateral knee disabilities were denied. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of the assigned ratings were not met.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and back disorder were denied. The Board found no current evidence of the claimed conditions, and determined that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for a back disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative changes and spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disorder is remanded.

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