Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2011

The Board found insufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, a skin disability (presumably due to herbicide exposure), low back and upper back disabilities, and traumatic arthritis. The diagnoses were not supported by credible supporting evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine arthritis, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder, classified as spondylolisthesis, is attributable to active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's lumbar strain has been manifested by complaints of pain with forward flexion limited to no less than 75 degrees prior to March 1, 2005. The Board found that the disability did not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations and obtaining treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine and left finger disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for shin splints and assigned a noncompensable evaluation effective September 1, 2005. The Veteran's cluster headaches, migrainous in nature, are currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that additional development of the evidence is required to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral leg pain and a back disorder.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and lumbar strain, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his service-connected diabetes mellitus or left knee disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board or video conference hearing at the Huntington, West Virginia RO. The issues include service connection and increased rating claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining the appellant's service personnel records and SSI application records, scheduling VA examinations for migraine headaches and depressive disorder, and notifying the appellant of secondary service connection requirements. The appeal will be remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC).

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic bronchitis with coughing and wheezing was granted, but the Board found that her PFT results did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6600. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of a head injury, cervical spine injury, right foot injury, low back injury, and right shoulder disability must be remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension and a back disability, was denied. The Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for his hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are being remanded to allow for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection, but she does not meet the criteria for service connection as her current conditions are not supported by medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating in excess of 60 percent for chronic low back strain, intervertebral disc protrusion with bilateral radiculopathy is being remanded due to the need for additional development including an extraschedular evaluation and consideration of employment impact.