Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA examinations and lack of a specific EMG study. The case will be reconsidered after these issues are addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hip and low back disorders were not incurred or aggravated during his period of active service. The evidence does not support a finding of chronicity, and there is no indication of any in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The evidence did not show a current disability due to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine was denied as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has denied reopening the claim of service connection for a low back disability, but granted reopening and established service connection for a skin disease due to herbicide exposure. The decision is mixed as it grants one issue and denies another.

The Veteran's chronic lumbar strain with osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine has been rated at 20 percent since August 18, 2005.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and adjudicative action due to missing VA outpatient treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow the RO/AMC to adjudicate whether separate ratings are warranted for objective neurological abnormalities associated with his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed low back disability is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination. The issue of entitlement to TDIU will also be adjudicated.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine strain does not meet the criteria for a higher initial disability evaluation prior to June 6, 2012, and is rated at 10 percent thereafter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran developed a lumbar spine and bilateral shoulder disability during military service, granting his claims for service connection.

The Board found that a chronic low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and that arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that the Veteran did not provide new and material evidence to reopen his claim. The Board also determined that the current lumbar spine disability is not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's spine and hip disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination to determine their etiology, as the previous examination did not consider his in-service exposure or June 2006 accident.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety at the October 2012 Board hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back and neck disabilities are not related to service or his service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability warrants a 20 percent rating, but not higher, during the period of the claim prior to February 13, 2008, and the period of the claim beginning May 1, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of his service-connected disabilities in combination.

The Veteran's low back disability is not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service. The bilateral knee disabilities are pending as new and material evidence has been received, but the relationship to service remains unclear.