Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder and bilateral foot disorder are service-connected, with the latter being aggravated by her now-service connected low back disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and a back disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected neck and back disabilities were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's right elbow disability is found to be related to his service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.,The Veteran is determined to be unemployable due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective March 10, 2003. He also has separate evaluations of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar and dorsal spine disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development, including a videoconference hearing. Issues of increased rating for peptic ulcer disease, service connection for lumbar spine disability and hemorrhoids are still pending.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis and found that the Veteran's current low back disability, to include arthritis, is related to his military service. The issue of service connection for a low back disability remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease L4-L5 with spondylosis and spondylolisthesis was denied a schedular evaluation in excess of 40 percent.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for lumbar spine disability were denied. Service connection was not granted for cervical spine or migraines as secondary to the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling an orthopedic examination to determine if the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is as likely as not related to an injury sustained during service, while his cervical spine disability is less likely caused by a service incident.,Service connection for the lumbar disorder is granted, but service connection for the cervical disorder is denied.

The Board has determined that the VA medical examination provided in December 2010 is inadequate for rating purposes and requires a corrective addendum opinion to address whether or not physical stress and trauma associated with the Veteran's history of over a thousand parachute jumps could result in his current spine and right foot diagnoses.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to clarify the current nature and likely etiology of any back and neck disabilities, including as a result of an in-service helicopter crash.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence regarding the Veteran's back and neck complaints, specifically from his service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling appropriate examinations, and considering whether to refer the case for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for posttraumatic headaches, and concluded that his cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic low back disability or any other hand disability related to his military service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's current disabilities and his active duty.