Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a low back strain is being remanded due to the failure to appear at his scheduled videoconference hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of a fractured tailbone and low back condition, finding that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service records and for a new VA examination to determine the etiology of his lumbar spine disability and depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disorder and found that his current cervical spine, left knee, and right knee disorders are related to his in-service trauma. The appeal is now limited to determining if these secondary service connection claims should be granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbar disc disease was denied by the Board. The disability is currently rated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back, bilateral hip, bilateral ankle, bilateral hand, bilateral knee, and genitourinary disabilities are caused by or related to his service-connected Reiter's Syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and low back disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case to schedule a hearing before the RO in Waco, Texas due to the Veteran's inability to attend the previously scheduled hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU will be reconsidered after the intertwined issues are addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease and stenosis of the lumbar spine, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are unrelated to his military service, including symptoms he experienced in service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability aggravated his low back condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine disorders are not attributable to his period of service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for arthritis of the thoracic spine was granted, and an initial 10 percent rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine before July 19, 2004, and a higher than 10 percent rating from that date were also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability, finding that his current lumbar disc disease is not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disability is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and evaluation by the Director of Compensation and Pension Service.

The Board denied the appellant's accrued benefits claim, finding that the Veteran had pending claims for increased disability rating and service connection for bilateral leg disabilities and depression as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain at the time of his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral flatfeet and back disability are not etiologically related to service or service-connected knee disability.,As a result, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lumbar spine sprain was rated at 10 percent prior to September 26, 2003. The rating was increased to 40 percent from September 26, 2003 to August 31, 2009, and then reduced back down to 20 percent effective September 1, 2009.

The Board has granted a TDIU effective June 16, 2008. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are the primary reason for his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.