Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for knee, hip, and back disabilities. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities. The Board finds that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine and low back disorders are currently each rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her thoracolumbar spine strain were denied as the evidence did not show that her disability warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 2, 2008 or 20 percent from July 2, 2008.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a low back disorder and sciatica, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted. The issue of sciatica was remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to have been incurred during service and is related to exposure to traumatic events in service. Service connection for PTSD has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected chronic lumbar strain, including its impact on range of motion and daily activities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disorder due to lack of material evidence, despite receiving new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected recurrent low back strain with spondylosis and intervertebral disc syndrome involving bilateral L1-S1 nerve roots has been rated at 40 percent since February 15, 2008. The Board found that the disability picture more nearly approximates forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 30 degrees or less; there has been no ankylosis or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of 6 weeks during a 12 month period.

The Board found no evidence of a current low back or left knee disorder that was incurred in service. The Veteran's complaints were not documented as disabling during service, and he did not have any treatment for these conditions until after discharge. As such, the claim is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that new evidence submitted since the last final denial is sufficient to establish service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disability related to the appellant's service, specifically his ACDUTRA in 1983. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess his low back disability and left upper extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating of migraine headaches has been granted, with the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent. The claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is pending and will be readjudicated after obtaining recent VA treatment records. The low back disability claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in September 2002.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current lower back disability and denied her claim for service connection. The decision also noted that she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which is unrelated to her time in military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, middle back, and neck conditions as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule her for VA examinations. The issues of increased ratings for low back strain and left heel spur remain in appellate status.

The Veteran's appeal of the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, low back disability, and left knee disability is being remanded due to additional development needed.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current back disability to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.