Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2009

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a low back injury, residuals of a neck injury, and residuals of a right hip injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left leg, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities are related to his service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to an injury sustained during service and grants service connection for this condition. The Veteran's dental disability, while noted at entry into active duty, was not found to be incurred or aggravated by service due to lack of evidence showing additional pathology developed after 180 days of active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease was granted effective December 23, 1999. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to special monthly compensation based on his need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection and disability rating remain on hold until further notice.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim of service connection for a lower back disability.

The Board found that the evidence submitted by the Veteran does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and duodenal ulcer, and thus denied reopening of these claims.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence establishing current disabilities of the low back and neck, nor any disability manifested by headaches, nausea, stomach condition, dental problems and hair loss due to exposure to radiation. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been previously denied and are still pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting entitlement to special monthly compensation based on such need.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for scoliosis, sacralization of L5, and lumbarization of S1 was denied in May 2001 due to a lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran did not appeal this decision.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, low back disability, and allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's complaints of tinnitus were not documented in service records, and the current condition is not linked to active service. For the low back disability, there are service treatment records indicating pain but no diagnosis at that time. Current degenerative changes in the lumbar vertebra are associated with service. Allergic rhinitis was not addressed as a service-connected issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, visual impairment, low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and skin disorder of the nose. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current neck, shoulder, back, or left elbow disability as a result of service and therefore denied all claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability of the back and determined that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his in-service injury and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's low back disorder is at least partly from an injury incurred in service, even considering a work-related injury later.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral disc disease at L5-S1 and post-surgical left knee injury, have resulted in the need for special adapted housing or adaptive equipment. The Veteran is also eligible for special monthly compensation based on his need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied by the Board, and the case is being remanded to determine if he is entitled to a separate rating for any neurological abnormalities.

The Veteran does not have a low back disability that is related to his military service.