Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2009

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was found to be characterized by pain and flexion limited to 40 degrees at worst, with occasional radiating pain. The disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and neurological impairment of the right lower extremity, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and residuals of a head injury, but denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, bilateral wrist disability, and left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability related to each condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease L1-4 as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the previously denied claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, a low back disorder, hemorrhoids, and gastritis was not established at the time of his death.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease at L4-5 was granted a 20 percent rating, while the other claims for increased ratings were denied.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, based on moderate limitation of motion with demonstrable deformity of vertebral body.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including rescheduling a VA examination and requesting additional medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, a prostate disorder, and a schizoaffective disorder as there was no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes or an etiological link to active service. The claim to reopen for residuals of a lumbar laminectomy was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a right ankle disability, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during active duty or ACDUTRA, and no etiological link to service.

The claim for service connection for cervical spine osteoarthritis was not reopened as new and material evidence was not submitted. The veteran's lumbar spine disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, a bilateral leg disorder, and a low back disorder as they were not shown to be related to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for headaches and a low back disability, including Scheuermann's disease, as the conditions were not shown to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability as there was no medical evidence of a causal link between her current back disability and her active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, as the evidence did not support a higher schedular disability rating.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection for disabilities manifested by thoracic scoliosis/lumbosacral pain and recurrent pelvic pain.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar and thoracic spine disabilities as they were not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine post-laminectomy residuals and kidney stones with ureterolithiasis did not meet the criteria for higher initial ratings.