Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran is seeking service connection for lumbago, claimed as a low back disorder, and the Board finds that additional development is needed due to failure to provide VCAA notice regarding secondary service connection. The Veteran should be provided with a VA examination and obtain a medical opinion on whether it is more likely than not that any diagnosed low back disability is causally or etiologically related to service, including his account of in-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records. The RO will then review the claim and readjudicate it.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritic changes of the thoracic and lumbar spines.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic lumbar strain was granted, with a current evaluation of 40 percent. Prior to January 18, 2008, the Veteran was rated at 20 percent due to muscle spasms and loss of lateral spine motion.

The Board found no evidence of a back injury during service and concluded that the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, shoulders, knees, and ankles. The decision is final as no new evidence or claims were submitted within one year of the last denial.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current low back disorder is related to service, specifically motor vehicle accidents during service or post-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was denied. The issue remains in controversy as the effective date of the increased rating is not addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran's assertions of continuous back pain since an in-service injury were not credible and that there was no evidence to support a finding of service connection for his current back disorder.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and GERD have been rated, with the initial rating of 10 percent for both conditions effective December 1, 2009. The RO has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has again remanded the claims due to deficiencies in a medical nexus opinion obtained, and further development is needed.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee disability, including residuals of injury and DJD, is related to his active service. Service connection for a low back disability, including residuals of injury and lumbar strain, is granted as secondary to the left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected arthritis of the lumbar spine has been granted, with a disability rating of 20 percent effective as of August 23, 2007. A separate 10 percent rating is assigned for his lumbar radiculopathy from November 13, 2007 through May 21, 2008.

The Board denied reopening of the claim for service connection for chronic lumbosacral strain and also denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine. The evidence did not show a relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's back and cervical spine disorders are not service-connected, and the VA did not cause his increased disability through negligence or fault.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability was not incurred or aggravated during his qualifying service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with the low back strain claim receiving a 20 percent rating prior to September 26, 2003 and the chronic fatigue syndrome claim receiving a 40 percent rating prior to August 15, 2000.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted, with an effective date prior to April 13, 2005.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss is not related to his military service, as evidenced by the lack of a documented history of hearing problems during or immediately after service and the absence of any medical evidence linking current hearing loss to noise exposure in service. The Board also notes that there was no audiometric testing conducted at either entrance or separation from service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current low back disorder is a result of his active duty service and grants entitlement to service connection on a direct basis.