Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's low back disability was not shown during service and is not attributable to his period of active duty. The Board finds that the current low back disability is more likely due to a 1991 motor vehicle accident, which occurred after service.

The Board found no evidence of a back disability or tingling in arms and hands during service, nor did it find any connection to service. The Veteran's current conditions are attributed to post-service incidents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and unclear nature of his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is currently rated at 40 percent, effective September 16, 2005. The AMC granted a separate 10 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a relationship between the Veteran's cervical or lumbar spine disability and her military service, thus denying her claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, renal disability, cardiac disability, and low back disability as secondary to his service-connected histoplasmosis of the lung.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for clarification and further examination regarding his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back disability, right foot disorder, right foot scar, and GERD were denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the merits of the claim may be addressed, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The Veteran's low back disorder needs to be evaluated by a VA examiner to determine if it is related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there is no evidence of unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of a low back disability and thus, service connection for this condition cannot be established.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for divided left Achilles tendon was withdrawn prior to a decision. The case is being remanded for further development regarding service connection for disabilities of the hips and pelvis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic low back or right suprascapular disability, and thus service connection is denied for these conditions.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbosacral spine with spondylolisthesis is rated at 40 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The rating for L5-S1 radiculopathy remains at 10 percent prior to February 7, 2007 and at a maximum of 10 percent thereafter.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed low back, left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. The claims were adjudicated on their merits without finding any new evidence to reopen previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder, lumbar spine, and thoracic spine disabilities were not incurred in service or due to a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is service-connected, while his rheumatoid arthritis is not.

The Board has remanded the case to schedule a VA examination and obtain an opinion on whether the appellant's current low back disability is related to service, including a fall during active duty. The claim will be reconsidered based on this new evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's lower back disorder is not causally or etiologically related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.