Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during service or a nexus to service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss, and a lumbar spine disorder as the conditions were not shown to be related to the Veteran's active military service.

The appeal was denied as the evidence did not support a connection between the veteran's claimed in-service stressors and his PTSD, or any link between his low back disorder and either service-connected condition or service itself.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for higher initial ratings, earlier effective dates and service connection for a heart condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 20 percent disability rating and an increased rating for his right shoulder disability, as well as service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated as 50 percent disabling, effective August 18, 2003.

The Veteran's PTSD with dysthymia was rated at 30 percent from February 12, 2003, to April 15, 2004, and increased to 50 percent since April 16, 2004. The low back disability remained at 10 percent until September 14, 2006, when it was increased to 20 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of hearing loss, tinnitus is not related to service, and lumbar strain was incurred in active service.

The Board found that the medications taken for the Veteran's service-connected back disability did not contribute to his death, and there was no evidence linking the causes of death (sepsis, multiorgan failure, abdominal fistula and abscess) to a stomach disability or the medications.

The Board grants service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II, which represents complete grants of the benefits sought on appeal.

The Board denied a rating higher than 40 percent for the low back disorder but granted separate 10 percent ratings for incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there was no evidence of a causal link between his condition and his service-connected bilateral pes planus or any other incident of service.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability and associated radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities do not warrant ratings in excess of 20 percent, and a TDIU is not warranted.

The appeal was remanded to the RO for further development and review of the case, including allowing the Veteran's authorized representative to address the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development and readjudication of the claims.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for lumbar disc disease and macular degeneration, right eye, for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and asthma were reopened, but the claim for right knee disability was not. Service connection for diabetes mellitus secondary to asthma medication was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder, a right lower extremity disorder, a back disorder, and a chest disorder as there is no evidence of chronic disability in these areas.

The evidence does not support the claim for service connection for a back disability.

The appeal was dismissed as the Veteran and his accredited representative withdrew from consideration certain issues, and a chronic low back disorder was not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter.