Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current low back or left knee disability, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease and spondylosis are currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic codes. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's status-post lumbar fusion with residual chronic low back pain was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not related to any in-service injury. The VA examiner found no evidence of a link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and knee disabilities are not service-connected.,The evidence does not establish a direct relationship between the current low back and knee conditions and active service.

The Veteran's initial rating for his cervical spine disability remains at 10 percent, as the evidence does not show any additional functional loss or impairment that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's DDD of the thoracolumbar spine warrants an extraschedular rating of 10 percent, effective from March 10, 2014.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed low back, right knee, left knee, and hemorrhoid disabilities are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims were granted, with increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities. The initial ratings assigned are within the range of disability severity as determined by VA rating criteria.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a low back disorder (claimed as lumbar strain), and several other conditions. The evidence received since the September 1972 rating decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board found that the Appellant's low back disorder is not service-connected as it did not result from a pre-existing congenital defect of the spine (spina bifida occulta) during her period of active duty for training.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current low back disability did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not otherwise related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding that it was caused by or permanently worsened by his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disorder is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle condition, and thus denied the claim.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a back disability. The Board has determined that the claim should be remanded to obtain inpatient treatment records and VA treatment records, including an MRI of the lumbosacral spine.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA joints examination to determine if any diagnosed back or knee condition is related to service or the service-connected lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating and whether the reduction in his disability rating was proper is being remanded due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and granted it. The claims for neck and lower back disabilities are pending, with new examinations and medical opinions required to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his right knee disability was denied. Service connection for a lumbar spine disability, which is secondary to his service-connected right knee disabilities, was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted increased ratings effective November 9, 2015. The lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent disabling, while the bilateral radiculopathies are each rated at 20 percent.