Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2007

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's residuals of lumbosacral spine sprain, finding that his current low back disability is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for back disability and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between his in-service injury and current condition.

The veteran's PTSD has resulted in reduced reliability and productivity, leading to a 50 percent disability rating from February 18, 2003 until November 4, 2003.

The veteran seeks service connection for a back disability that is claimed to be secondary to her service-connected right knee disability. The case has been remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an examination.

The Board has reopened the veteran's previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a back condition, including degenerative disk disease involving the lumbar spine. The new evidence submitted by the veteran relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate his claim.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the claimed disabilities.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for hearing loss, and the case is being remanded for further action on secondary service connection claim for a low back disorder.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further action, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's service-connected foot disorders caused or aggravated his low back disorder. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations based on his service-connected right ankle, left ankle, low back strain, left shoulder, right shoulder, and left wrist disabilities.

The VA determined that the veteran's low back disability, rated at 20 percent under DC 5295, does not warrant a higher rating as his forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine is not limited to 30 degrees or less and he does not have ankylosis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service records and medical records related to a fistula surgery. The veteran's claim will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for petit mal seizures and a compensable disability rating for residuals of a lumbosacral strain, finding no current seizure disability and insufficient evidence to support secondary service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's low back strain did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, as it did not result in severe limitation of motion or ankylosis.

The veteran's low back disability was rated at 10 percent prior to February 11, 2004 and is now rated at 20 percent thereafter.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected back disability prior to December 21, 1995 and assigned an effective date of April 25, 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability is aggravated by his service-connected status post pilonidal cystectomy, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder and sinus disorder, as well as his claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left shoulder disability. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disorder did not develop during service and is not related to his military service. The left leg or knee disorder also does not have a direct link to service.

The Board found that the veteran did not incur residuals of a claimed head injury, including disabilities of the cervical spine and lumbar spine in service or within the first post-service year. The psychiatric disorder was also not incurred in service and is not proximately due to or the result of a disability incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder is not related to his active military service and denied his claim for service connection.