Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records. The issues include bilateral knee, back, hearing loss, and right leg disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ). The claims of service connection for low back disability and residuals of fractured coccyx are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to report for a scheduled Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the Newark RO for scheduling another hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and clarifying whether the Veteran still desires a Board hearing.

The Veteran's low back disability has worsened, and he is seeking a higher evaluation. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with a new VA medical examination to determine the current level of impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of lumbar disc disease, finding that no valid claim was submitted prior to February 10, 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed low back condition is not related to his military service, specifically the in-service motor vehicle accident. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal concerning the issues of entitlement to service connection for a throat disability, bilateral hearing loss, a right hand disability, headaches, a neck disability, and a low back disability.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for a low back disorder in April 2006, finding no new evidence to establish a link between the current condition and service.,The Board also denied reopening of service connection for a cervical spine disorder in April 2006, finding no new evidence to establish a link between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of her disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current low back disorder or right knee disorder that is related to service. The claim for service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral strain, urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities was granted. The Veteran is currently rated at 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, with no other compensable evaluations assigned.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for a TDIU rating, and his service-connected disabilities are shown to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and work background.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to her active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination to determine if his orthopedic appliances cause wear or tear on his clothing, as he claims they do.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling prior to March 13, 2014 and 20 percent thereafter. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine was rated at 60 percent prior to August 6, 2012. From that date forward, he is rated at 40 percent for his DDD and separately at 20 percent each for neurological manifestations in both lower extremities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disorder. The Veteran's current low back disorder is being evaluated for its potential relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to assess her service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU will also be addressed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claims for arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral knees, and left hip as secondary to his service-connected right peroneal and posterior tibial nerves, right buttocks, and right thigh injuries. The evidence shows that these disabilities are related to the Veteran's altered gait due to his service-connected right leg injuries.