Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disorder. The Veteran's current low back disorder is found to be at least as likely as not due to his service-connected right and left foot disorders.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disabilities, including arthritis and degenerative disk disease, are not related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the issues of entitlement to service connection for pulmonary fibrosis with oxygen dependence and sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected sinusitis are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU issue. The case is therefore being remanded for further adjudication.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current right shoulder disability and whether it is related to his service-connected back condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation and determination regarding the provision of additional payment for woodworking tools under a Department of Veterans Affairs independent living services program.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral defective hearing, inner ear disorder, disorders of the legs and hands, gynecomastia with residual scar, degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with compression fracture of the thoracic spine, and degenerative joint disease of the right great toe has been denied. The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for the issue of higher evaluation for gynecomastia.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed back, neck, bilateral foot, skin, BPH, and hypertension disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing their onset or etiology in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to render him unemployable, and his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any cellulitis of the right knee, low back disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The RO will also obtain all relevant medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for spondylosis and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for residuals of a left clavicle muscle strain (Hill-Sachs deformity of the left shoulder with rotator cuff tear).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is not causally related to his active duty service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has found that the element of service incurrence for back and bilateral foot injuries has been met, thus granting the claims for service connection.

The Board is remanding the case for further development of medical evidence, including a VA examination to determine if the appellant has a low back disorder and whether any such disorder existed prior to service or was aggravated by service. The examiner will also assess whether the appellant's spina bifida or its residuals were present before service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was not incurred or aggravated by active service, and is not secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, a low back disability, and a right shoulder disability. The conditions were not diagnosed in service or related to service.

The Board finds that chronic low back strain and compression fracture had their onset in service, and the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease is not related to his active duty. Service connection for residuals of a low back injury is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing and further development.