Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for the veteran's back disability and assigned a 40 percent evaluation. The veteran is seeking an increased rating.

The Board has granted the veteran's petitions to reopen her claims for service connection for right hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, low back disability, and right foot disability. The Board found that these disabilities are proximately due to her service-connected left ankle disability.

The VA has determined that your degenerative disc disease with arthritis of the cervical spine does not warrant a higher initial evaluation than the current 20 percent rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with herniated nucleus pulposus, as these conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability warrants a rating of 40 percent prior to October 2004, and a rating of 60 percent since October 2004.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a low back disability. The Board also found that the veteran's current low back disability is related to his in-service injury, granting the claim.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for the veteran's low back strain, effective from May 17, 2001. The veteran's low back disability is manifested primarily by complaints of pain and limitation of motion, with mild degenerative arthritis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and hip arthralgia are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service. The VA examiner found no connection between current degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 and complaints in service.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted. He was awarded a non-compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, and his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee with residuals of arthrotomy and fracture of the left tibia is now considered secondary to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee. His lumbar strain with straightening of the lumbar alignment was also found to be related to his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and needs further examination for some of the claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a cervical neck disorder due to new and material evidence. The Board also found that there is no direct or presumptive service connection based on the current medical evidence.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a low back disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The evidence did not support a medical nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for separate ratings for her back disability and service connection for depression due to pending VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral knee disability and back disability due to procedural reasons.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disorder during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection. The Board also determined that depression was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has denied the veteran's applications to reopen his claims of service connection for a back disability, bilateral knee disability, and lung disorder. The evidence received since the previous denials does not provide new and material information that could substantiate these claims.

The Board has found the evidence sufficient to establish service connection for chronic lumbar strain. The veteran's current low back disability, including degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient examination report and misinterpretation of findings.