Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The Board finds there is a further duty to assist the veteran with his claim and remands it for obtaining relevant medical records.

The Board finds that the appellant's currently diagnosed respiratory disorder, back disability, and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine are not related to his military service.

The veteran's low back disorder, characterized as traumatic arthritis, lumbar spine with history of lumbosacral pain, was evaluated at a 40 percent rating effective March 2003. The RO found that the disability did not warrant an evaluation in excess of this level.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the current status of the veteran's right knee and back disabilities.

The Board has received notification from the appellant that he wishes to withdraw his appeal. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete records and the need for further examination of the veteran's PTSD. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an effective date prior to August 29, 1990 for service connection of PTSD and TDIU based on his service-connected conditions. The veteran appealed these decisions.

The Board found no evidence of a current low back disability and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The VA surgery in April 1998 did not result in additional lower back disability, and the veteran's current condition is attributed to his pre-existing degenerative disc disease.

The veteran's claims for service connection for an eye disorder and compensable evaluation for scars of the left eyebrow and chin prior to August 30, 2002 were denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for scars after August 30, 2002 was also denied.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and unclear opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, a low back disability, and an upper back disability due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to changes in VA rating criteria and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and fibromyalgia (formerly classified as myasthenia gravis) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his first period of active duty service. The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for residuals of cellulitis of the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint of the right hand was denied as the schedular criteria were not met.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, chloracne, prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety), sinusitis, cervical spine myositis, and lumbar spine myositis were denied as there is no evidence of current disability or in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder and an increased initial rating for infectious hepatitis type A. The evidence did not show a nexus between the claimed disorders and active service, and the current medical evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has decided that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder should be remanded due to incomplete records and further investigation is needed.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to deficiencies in VCAA notice and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.