Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to assess his lumbar spine condition and any left leg disorder. The issues of entitlement to an increased evaluation for his service-connected lumbar spine strain and entitlement to service connection for his left leg condition are also on appeal.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as they are not related to his military service. The claim for thoracolumbar spine condition was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that there is not new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disorder, as his submitted evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate this claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee, hip, and low back disabilities are not related to his service-connected right foot disability. The evidence did not support a finding of secondary service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic cervical spine, lumbar spine, or bilateral hip disability during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disorder as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is at least as likely as not related to an injury sustained during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to the finding that his MVA was a result of willful misconduct. The Board is remanding the case for further clarification and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including those related to increased ratings for cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, left foot disability, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder. The issues of service connection for a hip disorder are also inextricably intertwined with these other claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for chronic low back strain with spina bifida at L-5 was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA Rating Schedule.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for the Veteran's low back syndrome with L5-S1 spondylolisthesis prior to May 30, 2007.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional service treatment records. The Veteran's claims will be returned after further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar and thoracic spine disability and for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine, postoperative laminectomy and fusion, was granted a higher 40 percent rating effective January 24, 2012. Prior to this date, he received a 20 percent rating. Separate ratings for associated lower extremity radiculopathy were also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disorder causes wear and tear on her clothing, warranting an annual clothing allowance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and myositis are currently rated at 40 percent from July 6, 2006 to October 3, 2011. The rating is granted as the disability more closely approximates a 40 percent disability.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service-connected post-traumatic headaches and lumbosacral strain have been granted, with the effective dates set at November 8, 2005 and September 13, 2004 respectively.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.