Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbar spine spondylolysis and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for tinnitus is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a right lower extremity disorder as secondary to his service-connected pes planus have been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records relevant to his disability benefits application.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an eye disability, finding that new and material evidence was not provided in either case.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection. His increased rating for left thoracic empyema status post decortication and pleurectomy is also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for updated medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including back disability, hip disability, and headaches. The case will be returned after completion of this development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a travel board hearing at the Lincoln, Nebraska, Regional Office. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial rating for fibromyalgia, bilateral hip pain, and IBS was upheld at 40 percent.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic cervical spine or lumbar spine disorder during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant's low back disability, diagnosed as thoracolumbar and lumbosacral mechanical pain with kyphoscoliosis, does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent under the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Veteran's initial ratings for cervical spine and right clavicle disabilities were granted, with the cervical spine rated at 20 percent and the right clavicle disabilities each rated at noncompensable (zero percent) initially. The brachial plexus injury was not found to warrant a compensable rating.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records and for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral ankle, knee, low back strain and left sacroiliac joint strain disabilities have been granted initial disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of any current back condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and fractured nose disabilities are service-connected as their onset is believed to have occurred during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected low back condition was granted, with a 10 percent rating effective February 17, 2006. Service connection claims for left foot, right hip, and right knee disorders were also addressed but are being remanded.

The VA has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the appellant's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with sciatica and right lower extremity radiculopathy, effective January 30, 2006.

The Veteran's back disorder, heart disorder (to include hypertension), and tuberculosis were not incurred or aggravated by military service. The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting conditions existed prior to his entry into service and did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during service.

The Veteran's low back disability is manifested by pain and limited forward flexion, but no objective neurologic impairment or dysfunction. The Board denied an increased rating higher than 20 percent.