Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that there is no evidence to support service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine or trochanteric bursitis of the hips, as these conditions were not shown to have had onset during service and are not otherwise related to an injury, disease, or event in service. The Veteran's current diagnoses predate her military service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to evaluate the veteran's claimed right knee, lumbar spine, and right leg disabilities. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to report for a scheduled Board hearing. He was not provided adequate notice of the hearing and needs another opportunity to testify.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is related to his military service, and he has consistently reported this injury since separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining personnel records and providing an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current back disability is related to his military service. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right hip disability and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, back disorder, and stomach disorder. The evidence submitted by the Veteran was deemed insufficient to establish a relationship between any current disability and active service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 10 percent rating for peptic ulcer disease, and denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, nasal/sinus disorder, and hiatal hernia with reflux esophagitis. The claim for an increased rating for peptic ulcer disease is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left shoulder disability was denied. The Board found that the current evaluation of 20 percent adequately reflects the severity and symptoms of his service-connected osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint with rotator cuff tear.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in service and denied his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with stenosis and disc protrusion, but denied an increased rating beyond the assigned 20 percent. The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and all issues on appeal have been dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability present in service or within one year following discharge. The most probative medical evidence did not establish a link between his current back disorder and his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his military service or within one year of separation.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain with degenerative joint and disc disease is rated at 40 percent since March 1, 2013. The right knee retropatellar pain syndrome with degenerative joint disease is rated at 30 percent for limitation of extension since March 1, 2013.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for degenerative disk disease of the low back was denied prior to July 14, 2012.,A separate 10 percent evaluation has been granted for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity secondary to service-connected degenerative disk disease of the low back.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, left eye refractive error, and postoperative residuals of a cutaneous horn on the left eyebrow. The evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder are related to his service-connected post-operative residuals of a left knee injury. The claims for these conditions have been granted.