Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and low back disability. This includes obtaining medical records, scheduling VA examinations, and determining whether any diagnosed conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is not considered to be due to VA medical treatment, and the Board finds that he did not suffer additional disability as a result of his May 2006 spinal decompression surgery.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and addressing whether any preexisting low back disability was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's low back strain with degenerative disc disease and left leg radiculopathy are currently evaluated at 40 percent. The right knee, left knee, and left ankle disabilities have been separately evaluated as well. The Veteran is granted increased evaluations for his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of DDD lumbar spine, finding that no new and material evidence had been received since the August 1999 rating decision.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to be due to noise exposure during service, and thus granted service connection.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed respiratory, left hand, thoracic spine, lumbosacral spine, and migraines disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional notice and development are needed before the claims can be decided.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and separate ratings of 10 percent are assigned for right and left lower extremity neuropathy effective July 27, 2010.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including depression and PTSD, as well as a neck and cervical spine disorder. The Veteran's conditions were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's back disability is attributed to a congenital condition that pre-existed service and was aggravated by a post-service injury, not incurred or aggravated during his period of active duty.

The Board's September 24, 2010 decision is vacated due to the receipt of additional evidence pertinent to the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability. The case is now remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and associated radiculopathy are being remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims will be reconsidered with the new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities are service-connected. The PTSD claim is also granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his service connection claim for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The issue is now on remand for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to obtain in-patient clinical service records from the Beale Air Force Base Hospital, VA treatment records pertaining to his adjustment disorder with anxiety and low back disability, and private treatment records from the 1980s. A new VA examination will also be scheduled.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for various orthopedic conditions, including back, shoulder, knee, hearing loss, and tinnitus. However, the claims are being remanded for further development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's disability rating for his lumbosacral spine condition was denied, with the exception of a separate 20 percent rating assigned for radiculopathy affecting the left lower extremity. The primary issue pertained to whether he should receive an increased rating for his spinal condition prior to July 23, 2010.