Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The October 1997 rating decision found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to his service-connected pes planus. The Board disagrees with this finding, but finds no legal basis to support a claim of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claims for increased PTSD rating and TDIU were addressed separately.

The Board finds that the veteran's current low back disability is etiologically related to injuries sustained during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, right hip and knee disorders, and PTSD. The denial was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a low back disability. The evidence did not show a current diagnosis of PTSD, and there was no credible supporting evidence verifying the occurrence of in-service stressors. For the low back disability issue, it is being remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for DDD and assigned a 60 percent evaluation effective October 28, 2002. The veteran's TDIU was also awarded with the same effective date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, right hip, and left hip are inadequately reflected by their current 20% and 10% disability ratings. The case is being remanded to provide the veteran with a comprehensive VA orthopedic examination to determine the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post traumatic stress disorder, a low back disability, a skin disability of the hands, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and a duodenal ulcer. The appeals were all denied as not having been substantiated by evidence.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for service-connected lumbar spine injury residuals is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and development of his case.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for GERD and service connection for a chronic low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or post-service continuity of symptoms.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disorder and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine are related to his service, including a chronic recurrent lumbar sprain/strain with degenerative disc disease that began during his initial period of service. The Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected postoperative residuals of DDD of L5-S1 with lumbosacral strain was granted, and he is currently rated at 60 percent disabling effective September 23, 2002.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of medical evidence and need for further clarification on service connection and evaluation issues.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further evidentiary development due to scheduling issues.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if any current knee or back disability is causally related to service-connected bilateral hammertoes.

The veteran's diagnosed chronic low back strain is found to be related to his military service, thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease since September 26, 2003.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a headache disorder and a low back disorder, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied, and he is not entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The veteran's claim for service connection of his low back disorder is pending.