Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2011

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted due to her service-connected disabilities, which include limitation of motion of the lumbar spine and bilateral knee disability. The Board found that these conditions rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a comprehensive VA examination.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disorder during service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection as his current degenerative disc disease is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, with the evidence being at least in equipoise as to this point.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder and bilateral shoulder disorder due to insufficient medical evidence, and additional development is required.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records, conduct a new examination, and readjudicate the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is related to his active duty service and meets the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected lumbosacral strain, and for additional development including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left cheek disorder other than his service-connected left cheek scar. The back disorder is found to be related to service.

The Board has determined that a VA medical opinion is necessary to decide the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The appellant claims her husband had silent heart attacks in service, and his cervical spine, lumbar spine, and left small toe disabilities may have contributed to his heart disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess the current severity of her service-connected thoracic spine and headache disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition that conforms to DSM-IV criteria. The Board also finds the Veteran has not provided sufficient evidence to establish service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD or a lumbar spine disability.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim that his low back disability was incurred in service or is related to any incident of service. The VA examiner concluded it is less likely as not that the Veteran's current low back disability had its onset during service.

The Veteran's lumbar strain disability was rated at 10 percent from April 1, 2002 to March 24, 2003. From March 25, 2003 to August 22, 2006, the rating was increased to 20 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with right leg radiculopathy is attributable to service and grants service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD based on the Veteran's reported stressors related to his service in the Persian Gulf War. The other claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis or etiology for the claimed conditions.,For the status post excision of lipoma on the left buttock, an initial compensable evaluation (10%) has been granted.