Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and records, and the need for further development.

The Board has received notification of a withdrawal of the appeal from the appellant, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back injury, an initial rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus, and earlier effective dates for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability, which was previously denied in March 1985. The appellant now needs to provide competent medical evidence linking his current back disability to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of the claims for a higher rating for his right knee disability and service connection for a low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected low back disability warrants an initial evaluation of 60 percent, effective from the date of her discharge from service.

The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbosacral spine does not warrant a disability rating in excess of 40 percent, as he does not have evidence of severe impairment resulting from recurring attacks with only intermittent relief.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 60 percent for the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, effective September 29, 2002.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying combat exposure.

The Board has found that the veteran had chronic left knee disorder with degenerative joint disease incurred during service. The veteran does not currently have a hearing loss disability within VA's definition of such a condition.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and PTSD, finding no evidence of chronicity or continuity of symptomatology over the years since separation from service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected DJD with limitation of motion of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous VA examination, as well as obtaining medical records from Arizona Sports Physical Therapy and any follow-up treatment records related to the June 2004 endoscopic discectomy. The claim will be adjudicated using both old and new criteria governing spine disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right wrist disorder, epidermophytosis (claimed as punctuate plantar and palmar keratoderma), chronic headaches, back disorder, and stomach disorder. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen these claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling an orthopedic examination.

The Board determined that the veteran does not have a chronic back disability linked to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for further development and adjudication due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of cervical and lumbar spine disorders having origins in service, thus denying them.