Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The lumbar strain was rated 10 percent disabling, while the sinonasal disease did not meet criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected low back and right and left knee disabilities, as well as obtaining any relevant private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address the existence and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right shoulder and low back are being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the onset and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claimed conditions of joint pain, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, polyarthralgia and arthritis of multiple joints (excluding right shoulder and lumbar spine) were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine has likely approximated limitations of forward flexion to 30 degrees or less, warranting a 40 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his in-service fall and current back problems.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left hip disability is not related to service and is not causally related to or aggravated by a service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of entitlement to accrued benefits based on service connection for a low back disorder and a lung disorder, finding that there was no evidence in the file at the time of the Veteran's death showing these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disabilities were not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that a cervical spine disability was not incurred in active military service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, an extraschedular evaluation, and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the criteria for an extraschedular rating prior to January 25, 1994 are not met, and that the criteria for a TDIU since April 1, 2002 have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to service or any incident of service, including his in-service low back sprain.

The Veteran's disability picture prior to May 11, 2010 was of the same severity as his disability picture during the period from May 11, 2010. The Board found that a 40 percent rating is warranted for both periods.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to his service-connected trochanteric bursitis and degenerative joint disease of the left hip. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining private medical records. The issue of entitlement to TDIU must also be addressed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical spine, lumbar spine, hiatal hernia with GERD, and right foot plantar fasciitis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 18, 2008, for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain is denied. The RO has already assigned the earliest possible effective date provided by law.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional records and provide a new VA examination regarding his employability due to service-connected disabilities.