Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development of records, including SSA disability benefits and private medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for his low back disability, finding that it is not related to his active service or his service-connected left sciatica.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and allergic rhinitis, finding that both conditions were manifested to a compensable degree within one year of service separation.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current radiculopathy in his lower extremities and finds no evidence of a service-connected disability causing or aggravating this condition. The reduction from a 40 percent rating to a 20 percent rating for lumbar disc disease is denied as there was no material improvement demonstrated.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions and missing treatment records.

The Board found no nexus between the Veteran's current back disorder and his military service, including as due to radiation exposure. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and small fiber neuropathy (claimed as peripheral neuropathy) due to herbicide exposure. The decision on the latter issue is pending further action.

The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the August 1994 rating action which granted service connection for a total right hip replacement, and therefore the severance of service connection was improper.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected status-post L5-S1 discectomy and sciatica of the right leg, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbar disc disease with history of laminectomy was denied. The current rating is 40 percent, effective October 8, 2004.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his right knee, left knee, and back conditions. The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence to support a finding of pre-existing right knee condition or aggravation during service. The Board also determined that the Veteran did not have any current disabilities for which secondary service connection could be granted.

The Board found no evidence of a back disability in service and concluded that the current low back problem is not related to service.,There was no diagnosis or complaints pertaining to hiatal hernia and GERD during service. The Veteran's current condition, diagnosed post-service, is unrelated to her service.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service, and is not proximately due to, or aggravated by, a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability, arthritis, and degenerative disc disease, finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board also found that they are unrelated to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar spine degenerative disc disease is less likely than not related to service, including his in-service injury in 1973. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical DDD is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability, characterized by lumbosacral strain with spondylosis and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 20 percent. The orthopedic manifestations do not warrant an increased rating due to lack of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine or ankylosis. The neurologic manifestation (radiculopathy) of the right lower extremity is productive of mild incomplete paralysis, which meets the criteria for a 10 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal of the cervical spine claim has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal for this issue. The lumbar spine claim is being remanded for further development.