Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2010

The Board found that the Veteran's current neck, back, left shoulder, and right shoulder disorders are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or are not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current back pain is related to an injury he sustained in service. The claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome was not substantiated.

The Board has denied service connection for an eye disability and a back disability, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar disc disease, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's back disability and urinary incontinence are not service-connected, and there is no evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric condition manifested by depression.

The Veteran's claims for an increase in a 40 percent rating for his low back disability and for a TDIU rating were denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for macular degeneration, right eye was withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision. The case is being remanded for additional development regarding his claim for lumbar disc disease.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted on an extraschedular basis. The claim for TDIU was also granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently shown glaucoma and anxiety disorder are not related to his active military service. The low back disorder claim is remanded for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and a right shoulder disability, finding that he did not have a current disability to relate to his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for pes planus, a lumbar spine disorder and a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. The claims were denied as there was no evidence that the Veteran's conditions were incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for a back condition, finding no evidence of in-service aggravation and insufficient medical evidence to establish worsening over time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and determine if there are any Reserve Service treatment records.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right and left shoulder disabilities, back disability, hypertension, and left foot disability have been reopened. An initial compensable evaluation (10%) has been assigned for degenerative joint disease of the right great toe.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for her service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability was denied. The Board found that the current 10 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of her disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's low back conditions and their relationship to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial and subsequent ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine has been granted, with a temporary 100 percent rating from June 20, 2007 to August 1, 2007. The permanent rating is now at 20 percent since July 13, 2009.

The Board has determined that the appellant's low back disability, right leg radiculopathy, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee are all service-connected. The decision affords the benefit of doubt to these claims.