Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and lumbar and cervical spine degenerative joint disease were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or that the claimed conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and chronic low back syndrome are being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations.

The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the February 1995 rating decision that denied service connection for a back disability, as the outcome would not have been different even if the RO had correctly noted the Veteran's treatment for a back injury during service.

The appeal was remanded to schedule the veteran for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were partially granted, with some conditions receiving higher initial ratings than initially assigned.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, and the right little finger disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral pes planus as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or within one year of discharge, and no medical evidence linking them to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding no evidence of a chronic disability in service or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD based on credible evidence of a sexual assault in service and medical evidence linking the veteran's current symptoms to that event.

The veteran's claim for service connection for status post L3-S1 lumbar laminectomy and Stealth Guided Pedicle Screw Fixation Fusion was remanded for further development, specifically to address the adequacy of a May 2005 VA examination report.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and increased ratings for right carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbosacral strain, and cervical strain were denied. However, a 30 percent rating was granted for the right carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, an increased rating for residuals of a fracture, right distal radius and ulnar styloid process, and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for mechanical low back strain syndrome, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are so severe as to prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for upper and lower back strain, as the current spinal disorders were not likely related to the injury in service but rather to the degenerative process of aging and to an inability to exercise secondary to partial left-sided paralysis caused by a gunshot wound to the head after military service.

The Veteran's degenerative disc and degenerative joint disease at L5-S1 is due, in part, to permanent aggravation of his pre-existing spondylolysis in service.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, thoracic spine disability, and headache disability as the conditions were not attributable to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted a 40 percent evaluation for the period from December 1, 1998 until June 1, 2007 and denied an increased rating thereafter. A separate 10 percent evaluation was granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board found that the Veteran's back condition was not causally related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection.