Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the September 1990 rating decision, but granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity with an effective date of May 25, 2011. The Veteran's claims for right hip disability and left knee disability were not addressed as they were secondary to lumbar spondylosis.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, but the issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining service treatment records, verifying hazardous chemical exposure, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical treatment rendered at non-VA facilities is denied as the care was not rendered in a medical emergency and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have DJD of the lumbar spine, COPD, CAD with atrial fibrillation, or GERD due to any incident of his active duty service. The preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate reasons and bases provided in their previous decisions. The case is now pending further action.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded to the AOJ for further consideration, including referral to the Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director of VA's Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to be 90 percent disabling, but they do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding his right leg disability. The inextricably intertwined issues of back and bilateral hip disabilities are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a hearing on his service connection claim. The appeal is now pending and will be scheduled for a hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected back disability and determine if there is any relationship between his left knee disability and his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from the Native American Health Care Clinic and requesting a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is currently rated at 20 percent, which corresponds to moderate incomplete paralysis.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a DRO hearing and need for additional medical records. The Veteran's low back disorder is unclearly related to service, and he needs an examination to determine its etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 7800 and 7804.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in permanent and total disability that is due to the loss or loss of use of one or both lower extremities, precluding locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair. The Board finds that this meets the criteria for specially adapted housing.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate for adjudication purposes and requires further development, including obtaining additional service treatment records and providing notice regarding secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, securing SSA disability benefits records, and scheduling a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an orthopedic examination to determine the nature and etiology of his service-connected left knee disorder and other claimed conditions.