Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection. The right shoulder, knee, and left knee disabilities were also evaluated but no increased ratings were granted.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder and the claim for an increased rating for lumbar disc bulge. The skin disorder was not found to be related to service, while the lumbar disc bulge's symptoms did not meet criteria warranting higher ratings.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection were denied. The herniated nucleus pulposus at L5-S1 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, effective October 21, 1998.

The veteran's lumbosacral muscle spasm is currently rated at 20 percent, and his degenerative arthritis of the left ankle was initially rated at 10 percent prior to January 18, 2005. The RO has now granted a higher rating of 20 percent for the left ankle from January 18, 2005.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and assigned an initial 40 percent rating effective from May 5, 1999. The veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for iliotibial band syndrome.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than July 17, 2000 for service connection of a back disorder is denied as there was no prior informal or formal claim received before this date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disability, shoulder disabilities, and elbow disabilities are related to his service. Tinnitus is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or any service-connected disabilities. The Board also found that arthritis of the lumbosacral spine was not shown in service or within one year after separation.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current back disorder or arthritis due to injury or disease incurred in service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's low back disability effective from May 16, 2001. The RO also granted a 60 percent disability rating for the same condition starting July 10, 2003.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder, which was initially denied in April 1958. The evidence received since then did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. The RO previously denied service connection for sterility, but did not reopen it due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claims for his service-connected low back syndrome with degenerative arthritis and left knee disability, finding that a higher evaluation than 20 percent was not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder and remanded it to the RO for further development. The new evidence includes VA Form 21-4142, ARH records from June 1975, and May 2004 VA examination report.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip, left hip, and low back disorders based on continuity of symptoms since service.

The veteran's appeal involves issues related to increased ratings for ankylosing spondylitis of the lumbar spine and left hip, as well as a request for an effective date prior to August 5, 2002, for the grant of TDIU. The case is being remanded due to procedural errors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's low back disorder, characterized by severe limitation of motion and moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, is currently rated at 60 percent. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The RO will then re-adjudicate his claims based on the new evidence and examination results.