Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability is not causally related to his active service or any incident therein, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and the claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between the appellant's military service and his current back condition.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a low back disorder related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disorder, including a disc disease at L5-S1 with early degenerative changes, did not originate in military service. The evidence does not support a finding of chronic low back strain during service and there is no objective medical evidence documenting such from the time of separation until 10 years later.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and requires further examination and review of the claims folder.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a neck disability, low back disability, left knee disability, or TMJ. The claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that giving him the benefit of the doubt, his current condition is related to military service.

The Board denied reopening of claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disability began during his active duty service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for post traumatic stress disorder, a low back disability, and a left hip disability. The veteran's claim is granted as new and material evidence was submitted.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and granted a 20 percent disability rating for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent under the old criteria, but not under the new criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have cervical spine disability, including arthritis or degenerative disc disease, related to military service.

The veteran's disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and hypertension, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes as they are not sufficiently disabling to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disorder during service or within one year after separation, and concluded that the current condition is not related to any in-service injury. Service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar muscular strain is not related to his service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for obsessive-compulsive disorder and denied service connection for post traumatic stress disorder and a low back disability. The veteran's current psychiatric condition is presumed to have been incurred during military service, while his low back disability is not considered service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's gastrointestinal and low back disorders are not due to disease or injury incurred in service, nor may any arthritis be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including obtaining additional medical records, arranging for examinations, and considering whether to submit the claim to the Director of Compensation and Pension for extra-schedular consideration.