Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2008

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current lumbar spine condition to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic residuals of a low back injury due to new and material evidence submitted since the last final denial. The claim is now considered on its merits.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for low back disability. The Board also found that the veteran's lower back pain and degenerative discs, L3-4 and L4-5, are as likely as not related to his active military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's nerve damage and low back pain were not caused by a prostate biopsy performed in 1999, and thus denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete military records and a need for further examination regarding the etiology of the appellant's left shoulder, back, and left knee disabilities.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for postoperative residuals of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is denied as a matter of law due to the finality of the December 1998 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disability is etiologically related to service and grants his claim for service connection.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spasm of the erector spinal muscles and a retroactive effective date. The case has been remanded to allow for further development, including medical examinations and consideration of the claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to active duty service.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 27, 1997 for the award of service connection for lumbosacral degenerative joint disease. The veteran's claim for bilateral knee degenerative joint disease is denied as there is no earlier effective date.,An effective date of December 11, 2001 has been assigned for the award of service connection for bilateral knee degenerative joint disease.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be of such severity as to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine with chronic low back pain and lumbar strain (claimed as back disorder) by rating it at 20 percent disabling.

The VA determined that the veteran's low back disorder, claimed as arthritis, was not incurred or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back pain and cervical spine condition are not related to his military service, including any in-service injuries or exposures. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's chronic acquired lower back disorder is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of a crush injury and contusions of the left lower leg and foot, warranting service connection on a secondary basis.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the April 2000 denial is not new and material, thus denying the application to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability.

The Board found that service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical and thoracolumbar spines is warranted, but arthritis of multiple joints (other than cervical and thoracolumbar spines) was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and pes planus. The evidence now shows that these conditions are related to his military service.