Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2008

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for a low back condition, finding that there was no evidence of an injury or aggravation during active duty and insufficient medical evidence to link his current condition to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, but did not address the claims for cervical and thoracic spine disorders.,Service connection was granted for GERD and asthma. The veteran's claims for cervical and thoracic spine disorders are referred to the RO for further action.,No rating assigned as no disability rating is being granted.

The Board finds that a disability rating of 20 percent, but no higher, is warranted for the veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including securing VA treatment records and arranging for a VA orthopedic examination to determine the current severity of his low back disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disability and for type II diabetes mellitus, secondary to Agent Orange exposure. The decision on both issues is denied.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease (DJD) effective January 11, 2007. The veteran previously had a noncompensable rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back strain with marked degenerative changes at L5-S1, maintaining a 20 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD C4-C5 and cervical myositis as secondary to the veteran's service-connected residuals of left knee meniscus tear, but denied service connection for lumbar myositis. The claim for a higher rating for the left knee disabilities remains pending.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a current lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, broken nose/deviated septum, fractured jaw and broken teeth, or sinusitis. Therefore, service connection is denied for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar strain and left leg pain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for a back disability and reopening of the claim for service connection for hearing loss disability is not in order.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed in-service stressors have not been corroborated, and thus denied service connection for PTSD. The low back disability issue is being remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine disease and associated neuropathy of the upper extremities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including providing proper notice and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for a back disorder and PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and his facial scar is rated as noncompensable. The RO must address the left knee and cervical spine issues on remand.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fibrocystic breast disease, an increased rating for a left knee disability, and an increased rating for a low back disability. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen her claim for fibrocystic breast disease.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 40 percent disability rating was granted.,A 40 percent disability rating for the service-connected lumbar spine arthritis with spinal stenosis and limitation of motion has been granted, effective April 3, 2000.,The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating from April 3, 2000 to July 23, 2004 was denied. A 100 percent disability rating is now in effect since July 24, 2004.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and an increased rating for his lumbosacral spondylosis, finding that it was not related to his service-connected knee disabilities. The left knee disability is rated at 10%.