Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5237. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and right ankle disability are each assigned a non-compensable evaluation. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back and neck disorders are not related to his active service, including any exposure to Agent Orange or other environmental factors. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, to include as secondary to his service-connected osteoarthritis of the right knee and arthritis of the left knee, is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, right hip disorder, and right lower extremity disorder. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by her military service.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for a back disorder, bilateral knee disorders, and bilateral hip disorders due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The Veteran's current conditions are considered significant enough to warrant consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and attempting to obtain surgical history records.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for status post left knee anterior horn tear and lateral meniscus tear was withdrawn prior to a decision being made. The cases of his lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities, as well as his headache disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, but denied his claims for increased evaluations and service connection for a penis disability including laceration scars and scars due to poison ivy, as well as Peyronie's disease. The initial evaluations were assigned based on new evidence that reopened the previously denied claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating and TDIU are part of this appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to allow for additional development and consideration of all potential theories of entitlement, including aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 12, 1999 for the initial grant of TDIU was granted. The Board found that the April 9, 1992 VA Form 9 constituted an informal claim and determined that the Veteran met the schedular criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability as of April 9, 1992.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a low back disability, which the Board has remanded due to insufficient medical evidence on the issue.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in a state of relative equipoise in showing that the Veteran has a current disability manifested by tinnitus due to acoustic trauma during service. Service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim of service connection for a low back disorder must be remanded as there are outstanding private treatment records and a new VA examination is necessary.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine strain is causally related to his service-connected right knee disability, and thus granted service connection for this condition. The Board found no evidence of a right ankle disorder in service or since filing the claim.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not service-connected.,Tinnitus was incurred in service and the Veteran's low back disorder was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for further development of his claim, including a VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 40 percent rating for degenerative disc disease L4-L5, effective October 1, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for low back and left knee disorders, as well as tinnitus. The right ankle disorder claim is denied, and the bilateral hip disorder claim is also denied.

The Veteran's neck disability results in limited forward flexion of the cervical spine, but does not result in muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to cause abnormal gait or spinal contour. Therefore, a rating higher than 10 percent is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder and a bilateral knee disorder, finding that these conditions are proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral calluses.