Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical records, as well as further development of the service connection claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her left foot surgical scars and callus, service connection for low back pain, and scar tissue due to retained placenta. The claim for reopening a previously denied claim of service connection for disequilibrium was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and heart disability are pending. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence against these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, psychiatric, and migraine headaches disabilities are not service connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by his active duty. The evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and private treatment records. The Veteran's claim to reopen his entitlement to service connection for a back disability is pending.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and degenerative joint disease of the left hip are currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for these conditions. The Board finds that neither condition warrants a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, including herniated discs and left leg radiculopathy in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine segments is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of low back strain injury with chronic lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and ensuring that the claims file was available for review.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his low back disorder, bilateral lower extremity disorders, and hypertension. The heart disease claim is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for clarification of service dates and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not etiologically related to any injury or disease during his service. The Board also determined that arthritis of the lumbar spine may not be presumed to have been caused or aggravated by active service, and a low back disability was not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of evidence and preparation of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and low back disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, were denied by the RO. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VCAA notice and a VA examination to address his psychiatric disorder and low back disorder claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further review, including consideration of an extraschedular evaluation and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders prior to June 6, 2007.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining VA examination and associating ACDUTRA records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection. The claims for prostate cancer as secondary to prostatitis were also withdrawn, but the Veteran's assertions regarding potential VA negligence in failing to diagnose or treat prostate cancer did not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO so that a Board hearing may be scheduled at his local VA office.