Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board is remanding the claims for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from relevant facilities and notifying the Veteran of any inability to obtain requested documents.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's hypertension, ankle disorder, and low back disorder are all found to be related to service. The Board grants these claims.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between the Veteran's current cervical spine disability and his service, including the 1996 fall. The radiculopathy of right upper extremity was also not shown to be related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to his service, including an injury lifting tires in 1974.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran does not have a current low back disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine are related to his active service, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for DJD and DDD of the lumbar spine was granted, with a current evaluation of 40 percent effective October 6, 2014. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has determined that further development is needed in this case to determine the nature and severity of the Veteran's left shoulder disability, as well as whether it is secondary to his service-connected thoracic outlet syndrome. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to address these issues.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in the May 2004 rating decision assigning an effective date of May 10, 2002 for service connection of a lumbar spine disability. The effective date is now set at January 14, 2002.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for a new VA examination and to provide an adequate rationale for any nexus opinion offered.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been productive of subjective complaints of pain, tenderness, and stiffness with objective findings of limitation of motion of the thoracolumbar spine demonstrating flexion to 55 degrees, at worst. There were no incapacitating episodes and no objective findings of additional limitation of motion or function due to painful motion, fatigue, weakness or incoordination.

The Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was granted a rating in excess of 20% effective February 8, 2012. The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was granted a rating in excess of 20% thereafter.

The case is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development. The appellant and his representative will be given an opportunity to respond.

The Veteran's service-connected hip and low back disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is not related to his active service or any service-connected disabilities, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for head trauma, chronic headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and PTSD), and a back disorder. The Veteran submitted new evidence that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, kidney disorder, left leg disorder, and various other conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The Veteran's diabetes was not incurred in service and her kidney and left leg disorders are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing on his claims.