Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his active military service and denied all claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disability or headaches incurred during active service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right hand, left hip, left knee, left ankle and tailbone/back disabilities are related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent effective February 20, 2007. His thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 60 percent.

The veteran is seeking a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board has ordered additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting an examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities, as well as his claim for residuals of a right foot injury and status-post bilateral inguinal hernia repair. The veteran's left hand injury claim was previously denied in February 1954, and new evidence received since that time is not considered material to reopen the claim.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain, denied increased ratings for left knee strain and residuals of right ankle injury.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative changes of the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine, osteoarthrosis (claimed as osteosynovial chromatosis), sickle cell like bone marrow disease due to radiation exposure, and trigeminal neuralgia due to radiation exposure. The Board found that these conditions did not originate in service or for many years thereafter, and are not related to any incident of service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that there was no current medical evidence of the claimed disabilities and that the initial requirement of service connection is not met.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease with a history of recurring lumbosacral strain and left leg neuropathy, are productive of moderate impairment. The veteran is granted a TDIU based on his unemployability due to severe back disability.

The VA examiner found no evidence of a relationship between the veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disability and his military service, concluding that any such condition is not related to an injury or incident during service.

The VA determined that the veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and not granted service connection for a neck and upper back disorder. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of left clavicle fracture is pending.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his current low back disorder is related to service, and thus denied the claim.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected low back disability is being remanded due to the need for clarification on whether the thoracolumbar spine ankylosis is favorable or unfavorable.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, began during his honorable period of service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder was not incurred during active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied an initial rating greater than 10 percent for the veteran's spondylosis of the lumbar spine, finding that her symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and an increased evaluation for her right foot disability. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or chronicity of symptomatology, leading to denial of both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for low back strain and right knee strain are also being reviewed.