Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for multiple joint disorders, including lumbosacral spine disorder, bilateral knee and hip disorders, bilateral foot disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that led to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was incurred in service and is granted as direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and requests for additional evidence. The veteran is entitled to a hearing before an RO Decision Review Officer on both his back disorder claim and left knee disorder increased rating claim.

The Board granted an increased rating to 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease effective March 1977. The veteran's right leg sciatic syndrome was also rated at 40 percent, effective March 25, 2003. The RO granted the veteran a permanent and total disability rating based on his service-connected back disability as of March 25, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for additional examination regarding the veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and headaches, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation or an increase in rating.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected low back disability, characterized as spondylolysis at L5 with mechanical low back pain.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected scoliosis of the lumbar spine does not result in any functional impairment, and thus does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee strain and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, finding that there was no evidence to support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's neck and low back disorders are not related to his service, including any in-service injuries. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The veteran's physical disabilities, including chronic lumbar strain and degenerative disease of the cervical spine, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for VA pension purposes due to their combined effect on his ability to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran has any chronic spine and/or back disability, including lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease. The examiner should assess whether these disabilities are related to active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disability is not related to his in-service injuries and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various disabilities, including spinal issues, psychiatric disorders, and musculoskeletal problems. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records from the veteran's reserve duty period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability warrants a 40 percent evaluation, effective from September 23, 2002.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and status post lumbar laminectomy and diskectomy, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, but denied them on the merits. The low back disorder claim remains pending.

The veteran's lumbar strain disability was rated at 10 percent from January 29, 2001 to August 8, 2002. The RO denied his request for an earlier effective date of August 9, 2002 for a 40 percent rating due to the presence of disc bulge and degenerative changes. His current disability rating remains at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection is denied for all issues.