Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected and an increased rating for his lumbosacral strain is granted.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that the criteria in effect prior to September 26, 2003 were more favorable to the veteran.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability is not related to his active duty service and does not meet the criteria for secondary service connection based on his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right knee. The claim was denied.

The Board found that the reduction of the disability evaluation from 60% to 40% was improper, and denied the increased rating claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of the veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and lower extremity neuropathy.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder and assigned a 10 percent rating for the ganglion cyst of the left wrist.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a psychiatric disability that is attributable to service, and denied his claim for service connection. The low back disability was also denied as there was no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the veteran's current condition is related to an in-service injury. Service connection was denied for a left knee and leg disability (ruling out radiculopathy).

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar spine disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to any incident of service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that there was no evidence of a lumbar spine injury or disease during service, and the veteran's current lumbar spine disorder is not related to his military service. As such, the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation greater than 40 percent for residuals of low back strain, with chronic degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, with narrowing at L5-S1 was denied. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss also failed.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and employment leave documentation. The case will be reviewed again after these developments.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for the service-connected lumbar spine disability. The issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected headaches is remanded to obtain additional medical records and a VA examination.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression and the residuals of a failure of the segmentation of the lumbar spine with scoliosis, a history of back strain, and compression fracture with degenerative changes, prevent him from maintaining substantial gainful employment. As such, he is granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration due to issues related to service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected disabilities, finding that none of the conditions met the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new VA rating schedules.

The Board has determined that the reduction in the rating for service-connected lumbosacral strain from 40 percent to 10 percent was proper, based on improvement in the veteran's condition.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected low back disability did not warrant a higher rating under any applicable criteria, as his symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.