Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a low back injury is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to inadequate VCAA notice and inconsistencies in the medical opinions provided.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and did not find new and material evidence to reopen the skin disability claim.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his lumbosacral discogenic disease status-post laminectomies with fusion for herniated disc and spinal stenosis is denied. The Board finds that the effective date of September 20, 1955 for the grant of service connection is proper as there is no indication he filed a claim prior to this date.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for back disability based on new and material evidence, including a VA physician's statement that X-rays showed arthritic changes of the low back during service. The Board also found that the Veteran's current low back pain is multifactorial but not dissociated from his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted effective October 13, 2005, based on his combined service-connected disability rating of 80 percent from that date.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of bipolar disorder began during her military service. The claim for low back disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, and his cardiovascular disorder may be presumed to have been incurred in service. However, there is no evidence of a current low back disorder or any link between it and service.

The Board denied service connection for a knee disorder, hip disorder, and low back disorder in September 2005. The Veteran is contesting this decision on the grounds of CUE.

The Veteran's post-operative lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is noncompensable. The Board found that the current evaluations adequately reflect the Veteran's disability picture.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU prior to February 13, 2008 due to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date of the award is set at February 13, 2008.

The Board found that the Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, did not begin during service or are otherwise related to service. The claim for chronic headaches secondary to PTSD is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following some type of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial ratings for various conditions have been granted and assigned. The effective dates are not specified.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective March 23, 2000. The Board has determined that the evidence of record establishes an initial rating of 70 percent for the period prior to July 25, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence showing a link between her conditions and her time in military service. The Board found that the new evidence submitted since the previous denial did not provide sufficient information to reopen any of the claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service medical records, particularly those from July 1954 to July 1955.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, low back disability, and head injury with residuals including headaches and forehead scar. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service.