Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that no chronic disability was incurred in or aggravated by active service. The arthritis of the lumbar spine was not shown to have been incurred during service or within one year thereafter.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed non-specific polyneuropathy and low back disability are not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, leg disorder, and dental condition. Service connection was granted for PTSD with an effective date of March 18, 1996, and for the left eye disability with an effective date of June 9, 1994.,Service connection was not established for skin disease or liver disease due to exposure to Agent Orange. The veteran's tinnitus was rated as 10 percent disabling, PTSD was rated at 50 percent, and a 30 percent rating for the left eye disability was granted with an effective date of June 9, 1994.,The Board denied earlier effective dates for PTSD and the left eye disability.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the veteran's current cervical spine disability and his service, including an injury during service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a back disability, and right trapezius myositis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine to service, resulting in a denial of these claims.

The Board found that the veteran's back and right shoulder conditions are not related to his military service, with the weight of evidence supporting this conclusion.

The Board granted a 20 percent evaluation for recurrent lumbar spine pain from September 13, 1999 through July 2, 2001 and denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations prior to that date. The Board also granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for thoracic back pain.

The veteran's service-connected back disability is currently rated at 10 percent, effective prior to September 23, 2002. The RO has granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for the back disability and a 50 percent evaluation for major depressive disorder.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that her current condition did not have its onset or increase in severity during her period of active duty and ACDUTRA. The evidence showed no link between her current symptoms and any incident of active service.

The veteran's service-connected apical hypertrophy and low back disability have been granted, while his claims for conjunctivitis/gland condition of the eyes, restrictive airway disease/upper respiratory infection, and gastritis remain denied.

The Board has found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder. The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the Social Security Administration.

The veteran's service-connected cervical spine strain, right shoulder disability with acromioclavicular joint impingement and rotator cuff injury, lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease, right ankle instability, and left orchiectomy secondary to neoplasm are all granted. The highest possible rating of 10 percent is assigned for each condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for low back strain and a right hip condition, as well as his claim for an increased rating for status post boxer's fracture of the right fifth metacarpal, have been denied. The appeal regarding PTSD was also denied.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical records and an examination to determine if the veteran's current low back disability is related to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and shoulder disabilities, as well as a back disability and hand condition are being remanded due to incomplete service medical records.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder. The issue concerning service connection for a back disorder will be reviewed on a de novo basis, but only after ensuring that the duty to assist as well as notify under VCAA has been fulfilled.

The Board has ordered the case remanded due to incomplete service records and need for additional medical opinions. The veteran's lower back disability is being reviewed again.

The veteran's appeal is denied for the issues of service connection for various conditions, with no new evidence provided to reopen previously denied claims.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his low back strain and migraine headaches are being remanded to the RO for additional development.