Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability during service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection. The Veteran was also denied TDIU as his condition did not meet the criteria for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board is unable to definitively determine if the Veteran's current back disability is related to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, but finds that it is at least as likely as not. The case will be remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding his scoliosis and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, thus the Board finds that he is unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and the disease did not manifest within one year post-service. The claims for back and left arm disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issue of an initial compensable evaluation for lumbar and thoracic strain remains on hold until such time as the Veteran can present his case before the Board.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of a TDIU, which was granted on August 30, 2004. The Board is remanding the case to determine if the March 17, 2008 rating decision granting a TDIU prior to May 29, 2001 should be considered effective.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to incomplete records, need for additional examinations, and other procedural issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lumbar radiculopathy of the toes and feet as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain. The claim for meralgia paresthetica is remanded for further clarification.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine strain and lumbar scoliosis are as likely as not attributable to his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar back condition was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active military service. The claim for an increased rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease was also denied due to the lack of medical evidence showing incapacitating episodes or favorable ankylosis.

The Veteran's current low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine, is related to his active duty military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities as of January 21, 2005, and therefore grants an effective date of January 21, 2005 for TDIU.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent since March 28, 2006 and separate ratings of 20 percent are assigned for neurological dysfunction of the right and left lower extremities. The appeal remains pending as less than the maximum benefit available has been awarded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and requesting an opinion from a VA gastroenterologist regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C alone renders him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The TDIU claim is also being referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to November 17, 2010 is being remanded due to the need for referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right foot disability, back disability, and gynecological disability. The Board found that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted with an effective date of June 7, 2007. The Board found that the October 2001 rating decision did not contain clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gastrointestinal disorder, ITP, recurrent infections, otalgia, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and right hip scar. The reasons were that these conditions did not manifest in service or are unrelated to service.