Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional information from the Veteran's National Guard service records. The appeal will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current back disability is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to in-service acoustic trauma, and service connection is granted.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 70 percent, and his PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling. The criteria for entitlement to a TDIU have been met.

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine condition during service or within one year after separation, and concluded that the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is not related to her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) related to service. The Veteran's current hearing loss is not currently addressed as it was not fully evaluated in the remand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic lumbar strain, diagnosed as a current disability, had its onset during service and is related to his in-service back injury. As such, the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is granted.

The Board found that the evidence does not establish an in-service event, injury, or disease relating her current acquired psychiatric disorder, peptic ulcer disease, peri-rectal ulcerations, degenerative arthritis, low back disability, and bilateral hearing loss to either of her periods of ACDUTRA. As such, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of back injury, a neck disorder, gastrointestinal disability, diabetes mellitus, and glaucoma. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was pending until the March 2012 Board decision granting service connection. The effective date of this grant is set to January 16, 1996.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent since September 8, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities effectively confine him to his dwelling and its immediate premises, qualifying for SMC based on the need for aid and assistance or housebound status.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, resulting in the dismissal of all issues on appeal.

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

The Board has ordered additional development to address the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder, including whether it is aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder sprain and cervical spine degenerative disc disease with secondary neck strain. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for gastritis, skin rash of the neck, chest, and back, and service connection for left groin pain have been withdrawn. The claim for service connection for hyperlipidemia has been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease and spondylosis at L3-4 and L5-S1, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are more likely related to his military service due to aggravation of his pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left hip/buttock disability, and prostate cancer are all found to be service-connected.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability ratings for lumbar strain, right and left lower extremity paresthesias was improper.,The RO reduced the Veteran's disability ratings from 40% to 10%, and from 10% to noncompensable, effective July 1, 2011.