Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the November 1984 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating than 20 percent, as it did not result in forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, nor did it involve unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine. The claim was denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service, and the claim for this condition is granted. The claims for tinnitus, knee disabilities, wrist disabilities, shoulder disabilities, neck disability, and lower back disability are all denied.

The Veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for her service-connected low back strain and degenerative joint and disc disease. The Board has determined that a new examination is necessary to accurately determine the current state of her disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for folliculitis of the neck was denied. The RO granted service connection and a 10 percent rating for left elbow disability, left shoulder strain, and degenerative disc disease at L4-5. However, the Veteran's appeal is not about service connection issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss was denied, and his initial evaluation for thoracolumbar spine strain was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations and that his thoracolumbar spine strain did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him housebound or require regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a sinus condition due to undiagnosed illness and an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain. The Veteran was not granted service connection based on his claimed sinus condition as there were no objective indications of chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness during active service. For the lumbar strain, the Board found that the evidence did not show forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less and favorable ankylosis.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination with an orthopedist and neurologist.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the reduction of their low back disability rating from 40 to 10 percent has been dismissed as the prior 40 percent rating was reinstated retroactively.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability did not cause his death from sepsis and urinary tract infection. The Board finds that the Veteran's dementia, which broke the chain of causation between the fall and subsequent complications, contributed to his death.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, but finds that additional development is required before adjudicating the merits of his claim.

The Veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and arthritis of the back may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The right knee and right shoulder disabilities are each rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to verify service stressors and determine the presence of PTSD, sleep apnea, and low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete findings and insufficient rationale in a previous VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability warrants a 40 percent rating, effective from May 16, 2001.

The Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The right and left ankle disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to issues related to service connection and reopening of claims.