Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and neck conditions due to inadequate examination and failure to consider the Veteran's lay statements and private medical treatment note.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, stroke, and back disorder. The appellant's claims were based on his active duty service from June 17, 1980 to August 14, 1980 and June 29, 1981 to August 14, 1981.,The Board found that the appellant did not have a heart attack or stroke during his active duty service. The only evidence of a heart disorder was prior to his National Guard service in 1980 and after his separation from service in 1983. Therefore, there is no basis for service connection.,The Board also found that the appellant's back disorder did not develop during his active duty or National Guard service. The only evidence of a back injury was in November 2003, which occurred years after his separation from service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and left ankle disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and lumbar radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right leg disability. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is also granted, but it remains unclear if this is related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his multilevel degenerative disc disease, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating due to lack of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of one or both feet, so they are ineligible for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability. The appeal regarding his back disability is being remanded due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran withdrew her claims for service connection and evaluations related to various conditions, including constipation, left ankle fracture, fatigue and insomnia, cervical spine disability, ganglion cyst of the left knee, allergic rhinitis, lumbosacral strain, lower extremity radiculopathy, and left ankle surgery.

The Board has found that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower back degenerative disc disease, residuals of head injury (including vertigo), lung condition, and heart condition. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of this additional development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tumors, right side of colon and a lower back condition. The appeals for arthritis in various body parts are also denied as there is no direct evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's lumbar and thoracic spine strain was granted a 20% rating from September 14, 2019. The initial ratings for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back and upper back disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between her current conditions and her military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder, including IVDS and spinal stenosis, is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability and headache disorder, finding that these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right elbow disability. Service connection for lumbar spine disability was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year thereafter.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease due to insufficient recent VA examinations for assessing current severity.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spondylosis, contact dermatitis with angioedema, and scars from fatty tissue excision. However, an earlier effective date of January 9, 2009 was granted for the 40 percent rating for the lumbar spondylosis.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted are inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's low back disability. The TDIU issue is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating assigned for the service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine with degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased disability evaluations for lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity as the appellant withdrew these claims.