Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disorder, sleep disorder, and low back disability due to new evidence submitted since the final denial. However, no specific rating or effective date is assigned as these issues are still pending.

The Veteran's lung disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, and diabetes mellitus, Type II were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability for any of these conditions.

The VA determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is not related to his military service, including an injury he claimed occurred while lifting a missile cone. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disability, including arthritis, was not incurred in service and is not presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's assertions about injuries during active duty were not supported by medical evidence in his service treatment records.,Service connection was also denied for a lumbar spine disorder on a secondary basis to bilateral knee disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a VA examination to assess the current severity of his cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease and spondyloarthritis of the lumbar spine, and allergic rhinitis have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, back disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional service treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a spinal disorder and finds that there is sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his current spine disorders and in-service injuries. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of extraschedular ratings.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim on appeal. The Veteran's service-connected back disorder was also denied as secondary to his knees.

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

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The RO assigned an initial rating of 40 percent effective October 18, 1998.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected right ankle disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 10 percent.

The Board has granted secondary service connection for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine as aggravated by his service-connected left leg disability. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disabilities, including degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, intervertebral disc disorder, and disc bulging, are related to an in-service helicopter crash. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

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 therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar strain has not been manifested by unfavorable ankylosis, incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest prescribed by a physician and treatment by a physician, or any separate neurological impairment other than left and right lower extremity neuropathy. Therefore, the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent have not been met.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disorder due to inadequacy of the examination report ordered by the RO. The Veteran's claim is also being remanded as part of this process.