Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including the peroneal neuropathy component, is currently rated at 40 percent. The claim for increased rating remains granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left, right knee disabilities and low back disability were not incurred in or aggravated by her active service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine condition was denied. The RO assigned a temporary evaluation of 100 percent for convalescence in two periods (June 2, 2004 to August 31, 2004 and November 3, 2004 to December 31, 2004). Effective September 21, 2009, the evaluation was increased to 30 percent.

The Veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied because the VA medical treatment in 2005 did not result in additional disability attributable to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or some other incident or fault on the part of the VA.

The Veteran's claimed back disability is not related to service, and arthritis of the back cannot be presumed to have been incurred within one year following separation from active duty.

The Veteran was granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities with an effective date of December 2, 2008.,An increased rating for arthritis of the lumbar spine was granted by the RO in December 2008.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be aggravated during service, and his congenital lumbar spine disorder with sacralization of L-5 was presumed to have existed prior to service. However, the thoracic and lumbar spine disorder is not considered to be related to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, or any link to his military service.

The Veteran's spondylotic changes of the lumbar spine were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor can it be presumed.,There is no evidence of a frostbite injury of the left and right lower extremities during service. The Veteran's current condition does not appear to be related to his military service.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy was not caused or permanently worsened by any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD and back condition service connection has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a link between the claimed conditions and active service.

The Board has granted service connection for an anxiety disorder and a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric problems and back issues are related to his in-service misdiagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa and injury during service. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypothyroidism, including Graves' disease, and a low back disorder are granted. The Veteran was first diagnosed with these conditions during her active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's lumbosacral and thoracic strain with degenerative changes is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The RO denied his claim for an increased evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability, specifically his old C1-2 fracture and resulting degenerative changes in his spine. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression), headaches (residuals of head injury), low back disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including severe back pain and limited mobility, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has determined that the criteria for a TDIU rating are met.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability and a need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities were granted, with the effective date being May 20, 2008.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic low back disability with residuals of lumbar laminectomy, finding that there was no evidence to support his contention and concluding that any current low back disability is not related to service.