Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder secondary to her service-connected right and left knee disorders was granted.,Her claim for service connection for a left hip disorder secondary to her service-connected right and left knee disorders was denied. However, she was granted new and material evidence to reopen her previously denied claim of service connection for a right hip disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and need for further examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on his lumbar and cervical spine DDD, as well as left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, was granted. The current ratings are 40% for the lumbar spine DDD, 30% for the cervical spine DDD, and 10% for the left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy.

The Veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, but a higher rating of 40 percent is granted due to additional limitation of motion and pain.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional treatment records and a VA examination. The current rating of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability and any related radiculopathy. Service connection will also be considered for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination responses and further development is required.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently diagnosed disorders of the low back or bilateral hips. The examiner must also opine whether it is at least as likely as not that any current disability identified above was incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lumbar strain has rendered him unable to secure and follow any substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability on an extraschedular basis.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic lumbar spine condition during service or for many years thereafter, and there is no persuasive evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The Veteran's current back condition was not caused by or related to his active duty military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, left hip disorder (secondary to left knee), left index finger disorder, and lumbar back disorder are not supported by the evidence of record. The Board found no current disability related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar strain and whether any intervertebral disc syndrome is separate from his service-connected disability. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board has ordered a new examination and remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the medical evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the initial ratings assigned for the lumbar spine disability and right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disorder due to further development being required. The low back disorder claim remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including back and nerve pain conditions. The RO is directed to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his spine and nerve pain conditions. Additional treatment records are also needed.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine condition is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from Dr. McElroy.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the lower back and tailbone, left shoulder, or neck. The VA examiner found no chronic symptoms related to these conditions during service and did not find any current diagnoses for them. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine or lower back disorder that began in service and is causally related to active service, thus denying the Veteran's claims for service connection.