Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for post-operative lumbosacral spine disease and for an effective date prior to June 22, 2002.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not compensable.,For the cervical spine, a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to May 7, 2007 and a 20 percent rating from that date are denied. A 40 percent rating for the lumbar spine is granted effective September 8, 2008.,For the cervical spine, a 20 percent rating was previously assigned and remains unchanged. For the lumbar spine, a 40 percent rating is now in effect from September 8, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and arthritis of the left hip.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA vocational rehabilitation records and conducting a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's low back disability. The issues of entitlement to an increased evaluation for her service-connected low back disability and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability have been raised.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disability is etiologically related to service and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to an extension of a temporary total rating beyond January 2010, for convalescence required as a result of left foot surgery in July 2009, remains pending. Service connection for back disability is also granted. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus claim will be addressed separately.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected low back disability and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to insufficient medical opinions and procedural defects in notification.

The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence showing a current low back disability had its onset in service or within one year after discharge, and the Veteran's claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found insufficient evidence of a chronic low back disorder including IVDS during service or of arthritis in the low back within one year after service, and there is no probative medical evidence against a link between the Veteran's current low back disorder and his period of active military service. The Veteran's lay assertions regarding continuity of symptomatology are not credible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee medial meniscus tear and degenerative joint disease, left foot metatarsalgia and third metatarsal head disorder, cervical spine spondylosis, and lumbar spine spondylosis are all related to service. The decision is based on a review of the Veteran's medical history and examination findings.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination of the Veteran's lumbar spine and right knee disabilities.

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disorder had its onset in service or is related to his military service. The claim will be reconsidered based on the results of this examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and left knee disorder, as well as his request for an effective date prior to December 4, 2002, for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim for increased rating for PTSD was also denied, and he was not granted TDIU based on service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a permanent and total rating for pension purposes is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, records review, and reconsideration of his disability ratings under the Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking the veteran's current disabilities with service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disorder has been aggravated by his service-connected right knee disorder and grants service connection for this condition as secondary to the right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left hip disability and low back disability.