Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's initial disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied, as his condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating. The effective date for service connection was also denied due to lack of evidence showing entitlement arose within one year after separation from active duty.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a right knee injury, a right leg disorder, and a left leg disorder. The claim for low back disorder was reopened but not adjudicated.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disorder and low back disorder are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and his in-service concussion injury.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for migraine headaches is also being remanded due to incomplete records from his former employer.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional records and provide an examination, as well as to attempt to clarify the Veteran's service connection claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder was denied in September 1972, and the Board has now granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.

The Veteran's lumbar spine strain has been rated as 10 percent disabling since October 1, 2007. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating at any time during the period on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease warrants an initial 20 percent rating, but no higher, throughout the appeal period.

The Board denied a higher evaluation for the Veteran's back disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and denied an effective date earlier than August 28, 2014, for the award of compensation for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's back disability and/or psychiatric disability are related to his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining recent treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, migraine headaches, and right ankle disorder. The Veteran's claims were not supported by competent evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to May 11, 2011 and right hip disability prior to November 6, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, low back disability, and left knee disability are not service-connected as they did not manifest within one year of separation from service or are not otherwise related to military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder is not causally or etiologically related to his service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar strain disability is rated at 20 percent, effective March 1, 2009. The evidence does not show any limitation of motion or ankylosis that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a vocational assessment and adjudicating the right knee sprain claim. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. The case will be returned to the Board after this review.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities did not cause or aggravate his current back disorders, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine and low back disorders have been granted service connection, with a current evaluation of 40 percent.