Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, effective February 1, 2010. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they do not meet the criteria for an increased evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral strain, finding that no increase in lumbosacral strain became factually ascertainable during the year preceding February 26, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for his low back disability was denied. The RO granted service connection and assigned an initial rating of 10 percent, which was later increased to 20 percent effective May 4, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed back, head, right shoulder, and right hip disabilities are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology or direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability, neurological deficit of the right foot, depression not otherwise specified associated with the service-connected lumbar spine disability, and hypertensive heart disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected chronic lumbar strain and any associated neurological abnormalities. The issues of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine (secondary to service-connected chronic lumbar strain) and increased rating for chronic lumbar strain are also on appeal.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate rationale in the previous examination report.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues with communication and scheduling, including a change in address for the Veteran. The claim will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lower back disorder is not related to service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection. The other issues were also addressed but are not relevant to this JSON format.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee and low back disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of their onset during or within one year after service. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions are not related to his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with rotary levoscoliosis is related to his military service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and service treatment records, as well as a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a spine examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his active service and have granted service connection for them.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar disc disease with spondylosis is likely due to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current low back disorder was not present during his period of active service or until many years thereafter, and is not related to service or an incident of active duty service origin.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective February 2000. The claim for headaches and hemorrhoids was denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of left hip disability, back disability, left shoulder disability, right eye blindness, and basal cell carcinoma, right cheek including secondary to inservice exposure to herbicides.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of a nexus between the injury in service and the present condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current back disability, including diagnosed cervical and lumbar spine discogenic disease and arthritis, is not related to service.