Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred during his active military service and denied service connection.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's current low back disability is not attributable to service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and denied the claims of increased ratings for PTSD and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disorder and psychiatric disorder are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left shoulder bursitis is found to be service-connected, and the Board finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that it is related to active military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the submission of new VA treatment records and a request for updated records from the Leavenworth VA Medical Center.

The Veteran's left knee joint effusion was granted service connection and assigned a noncompensable rating effective August 30, 2005. The RO increased the rating to 10 percent from February 23, 2008. A separate compensable rating of 10 percent for painful motion with joint or periarticular pathology was granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to evaluate the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and degenerative changes of his lumbar spine. The case will be returned to the Board after these issues are adjudicated.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development as additional relevant evidence must be associated with the claims folder and a new examination must be provided to the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records. The issues include tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and PTSD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder, low back disorder and restless leg syndrome are related to her service-connected bilateral foot disorder. The decision grants these claims on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge of the Board.

The Veteran's current right knee disability, diagnosed as status post arthroscopy for Grade 3 chondroplasty of the medial facet of the patella and chondroplasty for Grade 1 chondromalacia of the tibia, was incurred during his active duty service. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities and low back disability are related to his military service, granting these claims. The left wrist disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to events during active service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The claims for hypertension, back disability, and blood disability are remanded due to lack of a Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, low back degenerative joint disease, and a left Achilles tendon disorder to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine if the Veteran now suffers from a low back disability or a sciatic nerve disability, and whether these disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has granted an effective date of May 13, 1971 for the grant of service connection for degenerative spurring of the lumbar spine and deformity of L3. The Veteran's claim was pending due to new evidence received within one year of his discharge from service, which established combat status and thus relieved him of the burden of proving in-service incurrence.