Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). The veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar strain and spondylolisthesis are pending.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his low back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of both old and new criteria for rating intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the case can be properly adjudicated. This includes obtaining relevant medical records and ensuring proper notice to the veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and adjudicative action due to issues related to service connection for osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.

The Board denied service connection and an increased rating for the veteran's thoracic spine and low back disabilities, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in previous decisions. The evidence did not support a higher rating for sciatic nerve paralysis.

The veteran's claim for arthritis of the hands was denied as he does not have this condition.,Service connection was granted for post-operative residuals of a medial meniscal tear of the left knee with arthritis, and assigned a 10% evaluation effective October 1, 1994. The dorsal and lumbar spine disorder was recharacterized as arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with arthritis of the dorsal spine by x-ray evidence only, and assigned a 10% evaluation effective October 16, 1997.,Service connection for bronchial asthma was granted, and assigned a 30% rating effective October 1, 1994.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and granted an effective date of May 29, 1996 for the grant of service connection for post-traumatic cervical spondylosis with upper extremity neuropathy. The veteran's claim for higher ratings was not addressed in this decision.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis, bone disability, sight disability, back disability, skin disability, and psychiatric disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's active military service.

The Board finds that the veteran's current low back disability is not related to service, but rather to injuries sustained after service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disorder, and thus the petition is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's current lumbar spine disability is not related to a bayonet wound or other injury in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's combined disability rating is 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The veteran is not entitled to VA financial assistance for the purchase of an automobile with adaptive equipment or for the purchase of adaptive equipment alone due to lack of eligibility based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current back disability to an injury sustained during service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed due to military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling an examination and considering the issues prior to appellate consideration. The case will be returned to the Board once this development has been completed.

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

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to VCAA notification and regulatory changes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employability.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation, service connection for flat feet, right knee strain, and hypertension were denied. The claim for service connection for flat feet was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for hypertension was also denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to active service.