Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum to a previous VA examination and considering the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service injuries and post-service symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his lumbosacral strain with lumbar fracture was denied, and the service connection claim for a right rib disability was also denied. The Board found that there is no current chronic right rib disability and that any right rib pain is related to his spinal condition.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for his service-connected low back strain were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support assigning an earlier effective date than February 15, 1993 or granting a disability rating greater than 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the claimant's right and left knee disorders, as well as his low back disorder, are at least as likely as not due to repetitive-type injury sustained during service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to service-connected disabilities, including his right knee and lumbar spine conditions. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are productive of loss of use of both lower extremities such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. As a result, the Veteran is eligible for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder. However, it did not reach a decision on whether these claims are well-grounded or meritorious.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and arranging for examinations to determine the likely etiology of any psychiatric disability entity and low back disability entity diagnosed during the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right shoulder and low back disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a comprehensive orthopedic examination.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's low back disability. The Veteran will also be considered for TDIU based on his service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is attributable to his in-service injury, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran has withdrawn all pending appeals, including those related to lumbar spine disorder, bilateral pes planus, dizziness disorder with tinnitus, and tonsillitis. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examinations. The issues of increased ratings for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, and chondromalacia of the left knee are also being addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of TDIU.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disorder, but is remanding it to further develop and consider the underlying merits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, provide proper secondary service connection notice, and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and an initial rating of 10 percent for the lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's appeal regarding the increased initial rating for the lumbar spine disability is remanded to issue a Statement of the Case.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for trochanter bursitis of the right hip and lumbosacral spine strain, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims. The decision also addressed a separate issue regarding whether the Veteran's left hip pain is secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip disorder and lumbar spine disorder. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for further development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.