Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for pes planus, a lumbar spine disorder and a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. The claims were denied as there was no evidence that the Veteran's conditions were incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for a back condition, finding no evidence of in-service aggravation and insufficient medical evidence to establish worsening over time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and determine if there are any Reserve Service treatment records.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right and left shoulder disabilities, back disability, hypertension, and left foot disability have been reopened. An initial compensable evaluation (10%) has been assigned for degenerative joint disease of the right great toe.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for her service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability was denied. The Board found that the current 10 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of her disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's low back conditions and their relationship to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial and subsequent ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine has been granted, with a temporary 100 percent rating from June 20, 2007 to August 1, 2007. The permanent rating is now at 20 percent since July 13, 2009.

The Board has determined that the appellant's low back disability, right leg radiculopathy, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee are all service-connected. The decision affords the benefit of doubt to these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined rating of 70% and his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and low back disorder. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the appellant's testimony regarding the severity of his service-connected cervical spine and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as a claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD associated with active service and therefore, service connection for PTSD is not established.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a back disability and prostate disability were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or material evidence to reopen his previously denied prostate disability claim.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his claims for service connection and increased ratings were not substantiated by the provided evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbosacral strain and bilateral hearing loss, as well as an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Veteran's current low back disability is presumed to be related to his military service due to the presence of degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's back disability was rated at 20 percent prior to July 29, 2008 and denied an evaluation in excess of 40 percent from that date forward. The left ankle disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disorder is related to his military service.