Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. The issue of an increased rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability and any right leg disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lower back disability is service-connected due to aggravation during active duty in Afghanistan. The right wrist disability was also found to be service-connected.

The Veteran's low back disability is not service connected, and his GERD, bilateral foot condition, right knee condition, headaches, and left arm condition are not related to service or any incident of service origin.,There is no evidence of a current diagnosis for the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left kidney cancer, colorectal cancer, and back disability. The claim for residuals of a left leg injury is without merit as there is no evidence of current disability or link to service.,Service connection was not granted for any condition due to lack of medical nexus between in-service injuries and current conditions.

The appellant's claims for higher ratings and service connection for low back and right knee disabilities were denied.,There is no evidence of a current disability related to military service or service-connected residuals of left distal tibia and fibula fracture.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of service connection for chronic disability of the left and right ankles, numbness in the right lower extremity, and a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed back disability was not incurred during active service and is not etiologically related to military service. The claim for service connection for a back disability is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a service-connected disability for any of his claimed conditions, including back disability, bilateral Achilles tendonitis, bilateral leg cramps, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for spondylosis and wedge deformities of the thoracolumbar spine with facet arthrosis is being remanded due to a lack of updated medical treatment records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, TMJ, and other conditions are being considered. The Board has found the evidence to be in equipoise on whether these disorders were incurred during service.,Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and migraines.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a recurrent lumbar spine disorder, basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adaptive housing and basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring a special home adaptation grant to the RO for additional action.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to the need for additional medical examination and records.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a new VA spine examination. The case will also be referred for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board has reopened the claims for peripheral neuropathy and skin disorder, but denied service connection for these conditions.,Service connection was not granted for a low back disorder due to lack of evidence showing it is related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is considered secondary to his left knee injury residuals, while the psychiatric disability is linked to his current anxiety disorder and depressive disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disability is not causally related to, or aggravated by, an event, injury, or disease in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee degenerative joint disease and low back disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for either condition prior to November 18, 2011, or an extraschedular rating throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a December 2009 orthopedic examination, which did not address the extent of his limitation of lumbar motion during flare-ups or indicate the degree of additional impairment caused by pain following repetitive motion. The case will be returned for further development and readjudication.