Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed back disorders. The issues on appeal include service connection for a back disorder, as well as secondary service connection for bilateral feet numbness and left leg numbness.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, left leg disability including as secondary to a low back disorder, and gastritis with acid reflux. The evidence does not establish that these conditions began during or were caused by his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for bilateral tinnitus, but reopened his claim for cervical spine disorder due to new evidence. His sleep apnea was also denied as it was not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertonicity of the right plantar flexion muscle group, claimed as a right foot disability, is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and/or sciatic nerve paralysis, right lower extremity, associated with a lumbar spine disability.,The Board has also determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and/or sciatic nerve paralysis, right lower extremity, associated with a lumbar spine disability. The Board has not made a determination on whether the Veteran's allergies and/or sinus disability are secondary to his service-connected scar, left nose.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, a lumbar spine disability, depression (secondary to PTSD), a benign growth of the lung, migraine headaches, and lung cancer. The evidence did not establish a link between any of these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining complete service records and VA treatment records. The case will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of cervical spine strain and paranoid schizophrenia, but finds no current disability that can be related to service.

The appeal is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development and examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent from August 5, 2003 to April 21, 2010. From April 21, 2010 to April 30, 2010, the rating increased to 40 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a higher rating for his back disability were denied. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference Board hearing. The Veteran did not attend his scheduled hearing and requested rescheduling due to an address change.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal for service connection of a low back disability before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, and headache disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for lumbar strain with DDD and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as her conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease is currently rated at 40 percent, effective October 31, 2009. His right and left hip conditions are each rated at 10 percent. Seasonal allergies with periodic epistaxis do not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 0 percent prior to August 19, 2009. The evidence does not show any limitation of motion or other compensable symptoms during this period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a neck and low back disability, finding that his current disabilities do not relate to an in-service injury or were not caused by or aggravated by a service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a new VA examination to address whether the Veteran has neurological manifestations of service-connected low back strain, and if so, whether they are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities are related to service and have granted service connection for all three conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine disability did not have its onset during military service, within one year of separation from active duty, and is not otherwise related to active military service.