Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's hip and back disabilities did not have their onset in service or within one year of separation, and there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain and residuals of a fractured left metacarpal was granted, with the effective date being May 24, 2000, for the lumbosacral strain and May 14, 2003, for the left hand disability. The veteran's claim for pension benefits prior to May 8, 2003, is also granted.

The Board found that the veteran's spinal disability, characterized as osteoarthritis of the cervical spine, is not related to his service. The veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome was also not related to his service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim and determined that his current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to an injury he sustained during active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in May 1996, which aggravated a pre-existing condition.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with subluxation of L4-L5 with thoracolumbar scoliosis is being remanded due to the need for a current VA examination and additional medical records.

The veteran's request for a personal hearing before the Board has not been scheduled, and his case is being remanded to the RO for scheduling such a hearing.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss in her left ear, ankle disorders on both feet, knee and hip disorders, arthritis, neck/cervical spine disorder, and back disorder. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has vacated its previous decision and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional service medical records and providing a new VA examination to determine if there is a relationship between active service and the veteran's claimed neck and low back injury residuals.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including examinations and a review of the claims file to determine if service connection can be established for his claimed cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, and prostate cancer.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service-connection for dorsolumbar paravertebral myositis and dysthymic disorder as secondary to a service-connected disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, hearing loss, and lung disability. The initial rating claim for bursitis of the left hip was also denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection due to new and material evidence, but finds that the current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is not related to military service.

The VA denied a higher disability evaluation for the veteran's degenerative disc disease, L4, L5, L5-S1 interspaces, assigning a 40 percent rating effective June 2, 2000.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated as 40 percent disabling, but his claim for an increased rating has been denied.

The VA determined that the appellant's lumbar spine disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 40 percent, as there are no incapacitating episodes or neurological deficits.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and clarifying the veteran's participation in parachute training during service. The veteran is also scheduled for a VA examination to determine if his current low back disability is related to parachute jumps during service.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen his claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, resulting in a final denial.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development and consideration of his claims, including new evidence submitted since the most recent supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate notification and assistance under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). The veteran's claims for service connection are related to his skin disorders, porphyria cutanea tarda, lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease, bilateral leg disorder, and arthritis of the feet. The case will be reviewed again after obtaining necessary medical records and conducting examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.