Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The issues on appeal are whether he is entitled to a temporary total rating based upon convalescence from March 2008 cervical spine surgery, and whether he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's chronic low back pain, status post lumbar spine surgery, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar disc disease, finding that it began during his military service.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, chronic mild low back pain, and skin cancer of the face, right ear, and arms (to include as due to exposure to chemical dioxins). The appeals are based on secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, prostatitis, back disability, and residuals of right trigger finger release are not related to service. The preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current low back disability is not related to her injury during inactive duty training in December 1978, and therefore service connection cannot be established.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder due to additional examination and development being required.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and low back disability are not service-connected, as they did not manifest during or within one year after service, and there is no evidence of a nexus to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete development and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed left knee and low back disabilities.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his military service. The case will be remanded for further development and adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities are service-connected, with the latter being linked to his previously service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and right leg radiculopathy have been rated, but the claims for higher ratings are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to September 17, 2010, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter.

Service connection is granted for nasal deformity of turbinate hypertrophy.,Service connection is denied for lower back disability and memory loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his low back strain with spondylosis at L5 and denied his claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran was assigned a 40 percent disability rating for his low back strain, effective August 31, 2004.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected chronic lumbar strain with spondylosis and discogenic disease at L2-3 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating as there is no unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back injury, left ankle disability, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The claim for increased rating for post-operative residuals of ganglion cyst removal from the left wrist was granted with a noncompensable initial evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed, including contacting the appropriate state agency for worker's compensation records.

The Veteran's appeal for increases in the 'staged' ratings assigned for his lumbosacral strain with radiculopathy has been dismissed due to his failure to provide necessary identifying information and releases for critical evidence needed to properly adjudicate his claim.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since February 12, 2004.