Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide proper VCAA notification and development. The appellant's claims for reopening service connection for back disability and bilateral hearing loss are pending.

The veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if his current low back disability is related to an injury in service or postservice motor vehicle accidents.

The Board denied an effective date prior to May 24, 2000 for the grant of service connection and a 10 percent rating for tinnitus.,The Board also denied an effective date prior to February 29, 2000 for a compensable rating for lumbar strain with degenerative changes.

The Board found that the veteran's appeal was untimely and dismissed it.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical records and a need to ensure compliance with VCAA requirements.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine disorders did not develop as a result of his service-connected shell fragment wound to the posterior neck, and thus denied secondary service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a low back disorder acquired as a result of a January 1987 motor vehicle accident, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

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

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability, cellulitis of the hands, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were not incurred in service. However, it granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder with a 30% rating and assigned a noncompensable rating for shrapnel wound residuals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left femur disability warrants a 20 percent rating, and his lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes warrants a 20 percent rating. The decision is based on the current clinical findings and medical evidence.

The Board has found that additional development is necessary due to the need for medical opinions and VA/VA records, as well as SSA records.

The Board has granted an increased rating for the veteran's residuals of a gunshot wound to the lumbar area, Muscle Group XX from 20% to 50%. The arthritis of the lumbar spine is still denied as secondary to a service-connected disability.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board finds that the veteran's chronic lower back pain is proximately due to or a result of his service-connected disabilities, specifically left ilioinguinal nerve entrapment and meralgia paresthetica.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 and right sacroiliac joint pain, was incurred during service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The veteran seeks service connection for a cervical spine disability, which he claims is related to injuries sustained during active duty and reserve service. The Board has determined that an examination is needed to determine the nature of his current disabilities and their relationship to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claims of service connection for neck strain and low back strain, finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the appellant's claimed psychiatric disability, lumbar spine disability, and neck disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected recurrent lumbar strain.