Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2001

The veteran's low back disability, rated at 40 percent, is found to be productive of not more than severe disablement with no evidence of pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome or additional functional loss due to pain or other pathology.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, and dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for his right hip condition and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected lumbar spine disability does not warrant a higher rating, and he is not entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for updated medical records and a VA examination, as well as obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic muscular strain of the lumbar spine is no more than 10 percent disabling, and thus denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, left shoulder disorder, and left wrist disorder. Additionally, the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral pes planus and a compensable evaluation for residuals of a right ankle injury were also denied.

The Board has decided that the veteran's low back disability is not service-connected.

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbar spine stenosis, right L4-5 disc herniation, and degenerative arthritis are not related to service or his service-connected shell fragment wound of the low back. The VA also found no evidence supporting an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a shell fragment wound of the low back.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of lumbosacral strain was denied as a matter of law due to her failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for spondylolisthesis of the lumbosacral spine, currently rated at 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected low back and left knee disabilities are being remanded to allow for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, blepharochalasis, a low back disorder, and a right rotator cuff tear due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder was denied, but his claims for increased ratings and total disability rating based on individual unemployability were granted.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the February 1993 rating decision.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, effective from October 12, 2023.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for his low back disability and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded for additional development.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation and compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional disability of his lumbosacral spine was denied as service connection has already been established.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim seeking service connection for a low back disability, which was previously denied in June 1963. The reopened claim is now pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking his chronic urinary tract infections and low back disorder to VA treatment from February 1973 to July 1973.