Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular or extraschedular criteria for a TDIU rating, and his claim is denied.

The Board found no evidence to support a claim that the Veteran's current back disability is related to his active service, and thus denied the claim.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current right shoulder, back, prostate, or head trauma disabilities to his military service. The preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability, bilateral lower extremity disability, low back disability, and psychiatric disability. The evidence did not support a finding of chronic conditions related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disorder, including lumbar degenerative disc disease with bilateral lower extremity polyradiculopathy (L5,S1), and lumbar spinal stenosis with radiculopathy, was not incurred in or aggravated by service or any period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA. The Board concludes that the Veteran's current low back condition is more likely related to his post-service work-related injuries.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a skin disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have continuous symptoms of these conditions after service or any evidence linking them to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, traumatic degenerative joint disease of the right 5th metatarsal, low back injury with compression fracture of L1, pleural plaques, and hemorrhoids, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to a total rating of 60%, which is not sufficient for TDIU. The VA examiners concluded that the Veteran is still able to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment despite his limitations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Board video-conference hearing and clarification of his current representative. The issues are whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability, and entitlement to service connection for low back disability.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for further development of the record, including VA examinations and additional medical records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his claims for service connection of various knee, back, ankle, and hip disorders are reopened. The effective date remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining medical records from various providers. The Veteran's low back disability is being considered for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with arthritic changes is being remanded due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck pain, thoracic and lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral leg pain as these conditions are not separate from her service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to September 7, 2007. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on range of motion or ankylosis.

The Veteran's appeal of the remaining claims has been withdrawn, and thus these claims are dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current disabilities for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral elbow disorder, or a low back disorder for VA purposes and denied all claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a videoconference Board hearing due to his request. The initial evaluation for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with facet joint syndrome remains pending, as does the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities rendered him unemployable from September 28, 2004 to August 3, 2011. The Board granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and lumbar strain are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.