Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain as secondary to his service-connected pes planus. The case is remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits should be remanded due to incomplete medical records and employment status.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and a back disorder, but new evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to service. The case is remanded for further development of medical records.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and peripheral neuropathy as secondary to his shell fragment wounds of the legs, as well as his claim for increased evaluations for his shell fragment wound residuals, were denied. The case is remanded for further examination and review.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for PTSD, service connection for a left knee disorder and low back condition, as well as reopening of his hearing loss disorder claim. The decision is final.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability, but also noted that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the original denial. The decision is considered final.

The Board found that the veteran's low back and right knee conditions do not warrant an increased rating or a separate compensable evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar injury disability did not improve to a degree warranting restoration of a 40% rating, and thus upheld the reduction from 40% to 20%.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic lumbar syndrome and muscular atrophy of the lower extremities, are sufficiently severe to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a fracture of the right tibia and fibula, and to entitlement to service connection for a back disability described as postoperative residuals of herniated nucleus pulposus and degenerative changes involving the spine. The evidence submitted since the 1987 decision is not new or material.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disorder is being remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining recent treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has previously denied the veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability. The Court has now vacated and remanded this decision due to the failure to obtain statements from private physicians who concluded that his back condition was service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current conditions, including arthritis of the lumbar spine, arthritis of the left knee, and left shoulder impingement syndrome, are related to his military service. The decision grants service connection for these disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a back disorder, finding no new and material evidence presented.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the hands, knees, and spine due to new evidence submitted. The case is being remanded for further development including obtaining treatment records from Dr. Durham and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 2, 1997 for the grant of service connection for recurrent lumbar strain. The decision is based on the fact that no earlier informal or formal claim was received before this date.

The Board found that the veteran's compensation benefits were properly suspended due to his failure to report for a VA review examination, and thus denied reinstatement of benefits for the period from May 1, 1992 to January 31, 1994.

The veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back injury, shoulder injury, head injury, and hypertension with cerebrovascular accident residuals. The Board found that there was no evidence of infectious mononucleosis in service or any other condition related to service.