Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and a need for additional medical records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's claims for left hip, right hip, and back disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, as he is currently employed as a substitute teacher and his disabilities limit his ability to perform manual labor.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records, requiring further development including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are found to be sufficient to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disorder, finding that his current low back disorder is not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for a VA examination. The claim will be returned for further development, including scheduling a new examination and obtaining additional records.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his low back and left knee disabilities, as well as his PTSD, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support ratings in excess of those currently assigned.

The Board found that there was no evidence of a chronic low back disorder in service or within one year after separation, and the VA examiner opined that the current low back disorder is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete development and the need to adjudicate his claim for a TDIU based on all of his service-connected disabilities. The initial disability rating for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine remains in dispute.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining employment, and the RO has referred his claim for extraschedular TDIU consideration. The case is being remanded to determine if referral to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service is warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of shrapnel wound residuals of the stomach, and denied service connection for hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing an injury or disease in service. Service connection was also denied for tinnitus as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's claim for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only is denied as he does not meet the criteria for certification due to lack of service-connected disabilities resulting in loss of use of feet, hands, or ankylosis of knees or hips.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical and lumbar spine disorders are granted. The Board also dismissed the appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for crush injuries of the third and fourth fingers of the right hand.

The Board denied the claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus, neck disability, and back disability. The decision did not contain clear and unmistakable error.

The Board has granted service connection for athlete's foot, which represents a full grant of the benefit sought.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a left hand disability or low back disability related to service. The appellant's claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to December 11, 2009 combined to a 50 percent rating. The Board found that the evidence did not show he was unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected chronic dorsolumbar strain was denied, but he is now receiving a TDIU effective April 17, 2003. The case has been remanded to determine the appropriate effective date for the TDIU.