Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is attributable to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a chronic back condition and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's multiple joint pain is not due to undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness such as fibromyalgia, and has been attributed to known clinical diagnoses. As such, service connection for this condition was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The VA has determined that the veteran's mechanical low back pain with degenerative disc disease does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Board granted the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bursitis of the left hip and low back pain with limitation of motion, assigning a 60 percent rating for each condition. The veteran is also entitled to TDIU benefits.

The Board has reopened the veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise and warrants service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disorder, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the appellant.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and residuals of hepatitis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for service-connected blunt head injury with post-traumatic headaches, entitlement to a nonservice-connected pension, and service connection for chronic back strain and discogenic disease of the lumbar spine due to lack of sufficient medical evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for a back disability and a psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and arthritis of the feet, both secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board found that the veteran's current back pain is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left tibia/fibula disability, and thus denied service connection for arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board denied service connection for a liver disability and granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the highest rating available under applicable criteria. The Board found that his condition meets the criteria for a moderate limitation of motion in the lumbar spine.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected low back strain due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination without providing good cause.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence showing that his current back disorder, arthritis of both hips, and major depression were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed low back disability with left leg pain, bilateral hip and knee disabilities, and unspecified soft tissue complaints of the stomach, leg, and hand due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claims were found not supported by evidence showing a direct relationship to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disability, classified as chronic low back strain with minimal degenerative disc disease at L5/S1, was incurred during his military service.