Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including searching for missing service treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and residuals of a left rotator cuff injury, finding that these conditions are not related to his military service. The claim for hypertension secondary to PTSD is referred to the RO for further consideration.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right foot disorder, right knee disorder, heart disorder, prostatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative disc disease of the spine. The decision also addressed service connection on a secondary basis for Meniere's Disease.

The Board found that the appellant's low back disability was not incurred in service and is not related to his service-connected stress fractures of the tibia. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions, including cancers and neurological disorders, all potentially related to exposure to burn pits. The case is being remanded for additional medical records and verification of a claimed stressor.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a low back disorder that was caused or aggravated by his service, or by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was denied service connection, and his claim for an extraschedular evaluation of his back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board found that it does not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability, lumbar disc disease, and erectile dysfunction and sterility. The Veteran's back condition was not shown to be related to his military service, and there is no evidence of radiation exposure or a relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal involves disagreement with the initial disability rating assigned for lumbosacral spine disability, and the Board has remanded the case to allow for further development including VA examinations and consideration of additional evidence.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, including degenerative disc disease and spondylolithesis, does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. The radiculopathy associated with this condition has been granted but is rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and examinations, including a skin examination.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability and determined that it was not incurred or aggravated during active service. The Veteran's current lumbosacral strain is considered to be related to his pre-existing condition, but arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred during active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and TDIU, as well as a claim regarding clear and unmistakable error in an August 2002 rating decision. The case is being remanded to allow the RO to develop these issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including a back condition and various knee and ankle issues, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the appellant did not meet the requirements for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings based on current medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center on January 16, 2007 is denied as the treatment was not in a medical emergency situation and VA facilities were available.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of the record, including obtaining treatment records from the Roudebush VAMC since October 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration of his claims, including an extra-schedular evaluation.