Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's anterolisthesis L5-S1 of the lumbar spine has not been shown to result in unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes. The anxiety disorder has resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity since October 1, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference or travel board hearing at the Huntington, West Virginia RO.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his low back disability is being remanded due to the need to consider the old rating criteria and adjudicate under both the pre-September 2003 and post-September 2003 criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination and medical opinions.

The Board found no relationship between any injury or disease in service and the current back disorder, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal of the claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine, left lower extremity, bilateral hearing loss, and hemorrhoid disabilities, as well as entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board has found that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is attributable to service, and therefore grants service connection for this disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disorder is not related to his military service or any service-connected conditions, and thus denies the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, arthritis of the right shoulder, and a low back disorder. The appeals were based on direct service connection without any presumption or secondary to another condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA spine examination and updating medical records.

The Veteran's residuals of right clavicular fracture are manifested by recurrent dislocations and do not meet the criteria for ankylosis, but they have been limited to a range of motion no more than midway between side and shoulder level. The current evaluation is appropriate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was not on a period of authorized travel to duty in February 1964, when he claims he was struck by a car and injured. As such, his current left hip, left fibula, and left shoulder disabilities as well as his left leg lumbar radiculopathy, TBI, and headaches are not service-connected.

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

The Board has granted service connection for pancreatic cancer, diabetes mellitus type 2, and hypertension. The right elbow disability claim is reopened but the issue remains pending as new evidence does not establish a direct causal link to service.

The Veteran's lower back, hip, and knee disabilities are being remanded for additional medical opinions to determine their etiology. The right ankle disability is also being remanded for a new examination to assess its current severity.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with notification of a scheduled hearing. The Veteran's current address needs to be determined and he should be notified of his upcoming hearing.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a low back disability was denied as no communication prior to December 10, 2012 can be reasonably construed as a claim to reopen his previously denied claim. The appropriate effective date is December 10, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability and right wrist disability are being remanded due to outstanding private and VA treatment records, as well as the need for an addendum opinion from the September 2014 VA examiner.