Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 40 percent effective November 20, 1989. The claim for a higher rating is moot due to the grant of a single 60 percent rating for his combined spine disabilities. A separate 10 percent rating for left cervical radiculopathy has been granted and remains in effect. Effective November 20, 1989, the Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility were established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against finding that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, to include arthritis, and thoracolumbar spine disorder are related to or resulted from his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis is not shown to meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to February 15, 2011 or since that date.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for low back disability, chest pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left shoulder disability, arthritis, bilateral knee disabilities, left ankle injury, and psychiatric disability. The appeals are now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a back condition and granted it. The claims for left ankle, right wrist, numbness of hands and arms, right rib, neck, and left elbow conditions were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and associated neurological symptoms are currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address his claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional examinations and development of records, including SSA disability benefits information. The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, headache, and right knee disabilities are in dispute.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar strain disability has been rated at 10 percent since October 18, 2010. The condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not result in limitation of motion or ankylosis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment for the period from December 4, 2014 to present.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for proper duty-to-assist notice and a correct SSOC issuance. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability is not causally related to an in-service injury, including a reported fall from a telephone pole. The medical evidence did not support a link between service and his present condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his thoracolumbar spine disability, headaches, and TDIU.

The Veteran's DDD and DJD of the thoracic and lumbar spine were rated at 10 percent prior to April 17, 2015 and at 20 percent thereafter. The Board found that these ratings adequately capture his disability picture.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a left knee disability or low back disability that is related to service, including as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's vision loss in the left eye was also denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current lower back disability is etiologically related to his active service, and therefore service connection for the disability is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus did not increase in severity during service and was not aggravated beyond its natural progression. For his low back disability with left leg radiculopathy, the VA examiner found no evidence of a pre-service condition or aggravation by service. The opinion relied on post-service medical records for conclusions about the onset of symptoms.