Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, Dupuytren's contracture with rheumatoid arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis of the right arm due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, low back pain, left hand numbness, and peripheral neuropathy. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors and determine if they are sufficient to establish service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a current lumbar spine disorder that is related to service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability, manifested by limitation of motion with pain and muscle spasm, is rated at 20 percent under the revised criteria for evaluating disabilities of the spine effective September 23, 2002. The rating reflects incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least four weeks but less than six weeks during the past 12 months.

The Board denied service connection for psychiatric disability and an increased rating for low back disability. The Veteran's psychiatric disability is not related to his military service, and the low back disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left shoulder injury and lumbosacral spine disorder, finding that there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, including scoliosis and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, finding that there was no increase in severity during service and that the pre-existing condition did not worsen.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim that his current low back disability is related to his military service, and thus denied the claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The effective date of any award would not impact the final April 1975 rating decision.

The Board has determined that further examination and medical opinion are needed to resolve the claim for service connection due to conflicting opinions on the onset of the Veteran's low back disability. The appeal is being remanded to the RO.

The Veteran's case is within the jurisdiction of the Montgomery, Alabama RO and needs to be remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO level.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examination. The Veteran is entitled to a VA examination to determine if he currently has a back disability or residuals of a left foot fracture, which may be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, right shoulder pain and right scapula condition, chest pain, bronchitis, influenza with headaches, low back disability, esophoria, nosebleed, and residuals of a foreign object in the eye. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing and any further development as requested. The case will be returned to the Board after this.

The Veteran's claims for lumbar strain, bilateral foot condition, and bilateral knee condition are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or connection to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, shrapnel wound of the head with damage to the right eye, and back condition were denied. The claim for PTSD was granted but an increased evaluation is still pending.

The Veteran's low back disorder is currently rated as 10 percent disabling under the provisions of Diagnostic Code 5243 for intervertebral disc syndrome. The Board finds that an evaluation in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle strain, PTSD, and degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 level. The Veteran was also denied a compensable rating for an appendectomy scar.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a Travel Board hearing and issuance of a Statement of the Case.