Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for insomnia, fatigue, and memory loss as these conditions are not related to exposure to herbicides or undiagnosed illnesses in service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent initial evaluation for the veteran's low back disorder effective from March 18, 1997 through September 25, 2003. The AMC then assigned a 40 percent rating for the period beginning September 26, 2003 without proper notice and without evidence showing improvement in the disability.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that he is not entitled to an increased rating for his right knee disability and maintains the current 30 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for low back pain, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence to establish a link between active service and any diagnosed condition.

The veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected low back disability, which currently receives a 20 percent evaluation. The Board has determined that additional development of the claim is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a back disability. The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of evidence.

The Board found that the appellant's low back disorder with bowel and bladder dysfunction was not incurred in or aggravated during his ACDUTRA tour, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's initial evaluation for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was granted at a 10 percent rating, effective from October 18, 2000. The case is now being remanded due to new evidence received after the initial decision.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities in the conditions listed, and thus denied service connection for all claimed disabilities.

The veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis does not result in loss of use of either lower extremity such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair. Therefore, she is denied financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or to a special home adaptation grant.

The RO granted a higher rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected scoliosis, degenerative osteoarthritis and degen...

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral pes planus, service connection for low back disability and bilateral knee disability, service connection for headaches as secondary to flat feet, and service connection for a skin lesion of the left buttock due to microwave radiation exposure. The current status of these claims is pending further action.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for degenerative intervertebral disc disease of the lumbar spine without radiculopathy, effective July 5, 2001. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability during service or within the presumptive period after service, and concluded that any current low back disabilities are not related to service.

The Board found no evidence of a current left knee disability related to service, and arthritis was first demonstrated many years after service. The veteran's bilateral upper leg disability is not considered service-connected due to lack of evidence. The back disability claim also lacks legal merit or entitlement under the law.,There is no evidence showing that the veteran currently suffers from hearing loss for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has requested additional development to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed low back disorder, which is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The case will be remanded for further action.

The veteran seeks service connection for a low back disability. The case is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need to obtain additional evidence, including examination records from his employers.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left foot disability (pes planus) and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with arthropathy, sacralization, and scoliosis due to lack of evidence establishing a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is a result of injury during service and grants service connection for this condition.