Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his low back disability is being remanded due to the invalidation of a regulation that allowed the Board to develop evidence.

The veteran's claims of service connection for right knee sprain, residuals of pneumonia, and depression were granted. The other issues on appeal are not addressed in this decision.

The veteran is seeking increased ratings for his degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees. The Board has determined that additional development, including obtaining updated medical evidence and scheduling a VA examination, is necessary before deciding these claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is required to determine if the veteran's right knee, lumbar spine, and left ankle conditions are proximately due or the result of his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his low back strain disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration under revised criteria.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder and determined that new evidence received since January 1979 is sufficient to reopen the claim. However, the Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability during active service or after separation from service, and concluded that the current low back disability is not related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to completion of its appellate review, including obtaining records from private physicians identified by the veteran and previously associated with RWJUMG.

The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for arthritis of the left foot and reopened the claim for service connection for headaches. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's chronic low back disorder.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. The case remains pending for an increased evaluation for chronic sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine is a residual of an in-service low back strain, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and a low back disability must be remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and affording the veteran with a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, major depressive disorder, mechanical low back pain, essential hypertension, right tibial plateau stress fracture, deviated nasal septum, and loss of sense of smell, are severe enough to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board has granted his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of his service-connected degenerative disc disease L3-L5, status post laminectomy. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

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

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for low back condition and granted it, despite initially denying it on the merits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the existence and etiology of any currently manifested neck disorder, back disorder, right shoulder disorder, bilateral arm disorders, post-traumatic headaches, hearing loss, and tinnitus.