Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected vertebral fracture aggravated his nonservice-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's current lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral knee, and skin disorders are not shown to be related to his active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine did not manifest as a chronic condition during service and could not be presumed due to the one-time in-service injury. The claim was denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including a neck injury and related symptoms. The Board has ordered additional development to search for records of any head or neck injuries during his first period of service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the Veteran's previously-denied claims for left knee and back conditions had not been received. The claim for service connection for a back condition is reopened, but the other issues remain denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure. The other issues of entitlement to service connection have not been adjudicated and are referred back to the RO.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of his reported worsening symptoms.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and low back disability. The claim of service connection for left shoulder disability is remanded, as well as the reopened claim of service connection for cervical spine disability (on the merits).

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew them prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses for an ultrasound in September 2006 was denied as all three statutory and regulatory criteria under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1728 and 38 C.F.R. § 17.120 were not met.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability will be reconsidered with consideration of all relevant rating criteria.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has not been found to meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and his PTSD is rated at 70 percent. The Board has granted the Veteran a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's spondylosis, L5-S1, with lumbosacral strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy is not rated higher than 20 percent due to lack of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine at 30 degrees or less.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain is not related to his service or a service-connected condition, and denied the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and right hip conditions are related to his military service, granting the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the severity of his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities, as well as determine if he has left ear hearing loss related to service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination of his lumbar spine disability and consideration of his claims for service connection and TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to active service. The cervical spine issue was withdrawn by the appellant.