Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for depression and a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The veteran's depression was not established, and her low back disability did not meet criteria for a higher rating prior to August 23, 2006, but from that date she is entitled to a 40 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder, cervical spine, and knee disabilities are not service-connected. The lumbar spine disability is granted with a rating of 10 percent from July 22, 1999 to December 18, 2002; 20 percent from December 19, 2002 to April 19, 2004; and 60 percent thereafter. The veteran's frostbite of the feet is rated as 20 percent disabling for each foot.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and malaria due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spondylosis with post-operative residuals of discectomy and fusion at C3-4 and C4-5, avascular necrosis of the hips, and residuals of a herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbosacral spine with residuals of a compression fracture of the 1st lumbar vertebra. The veteran's conditions were found to be not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increase and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) for further development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, cervical spine disability with arthritis, and bilateral shoulder disability. The claims for increased ratings for low back pain, right inguinal hernia repair, hemorrhoids, and chronic prostatitis have also been denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of a scheduled hearing. The issues regarding bilateral hearing loss and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine remain unresolved.

The Board found that no additional evidence has been received with respect to the low back disorder that shows a relationship to service. Therefore, the claim of service connection for a low back disorder was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a new VA examination and consideration of extraschedular evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disorder related to service and denied the veteran's claim.

The veteran's service connection claims for upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, left wrist strain, osteophytes of the right hip, gastritis, degenerative changes and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, spondylitic disc disease of the cervical spine, tendonitis of the left elbow, and tendonitis of the right elbow have been granted. The veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected conditions has also been granted.

The veteran's claims for an increased evaluation and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA spine examination.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a right hip stress fracture are rated at 20 percent, and the claim for an increased rating is granted. Service connection was established for left knee and right knee conditions as secondary to the service-connected right hip condition, but no low back disorder has been found to be related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, lumbar spine, and stomach disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right knee, back, hip, or shoulder disability that is attributable to military service.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete information and need for further examination.

The Board denied the request to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder, finding that the new evidence did not provide a reasonable possibility that the disability was related to events in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of them were incurred or aggravated by service.