Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for major depressive disorder and residuals of a lumbar spine injury are being remanded due to the need for additional development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability warrants a rating of 20 percent, effective September 10, 1998.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back disability. The case will be reviewed again after these actions are completed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability did not preexist service and was not aggravated by service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating and earlier effective date for his service-connected low back disorders was denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support an earlier effective date than July 2, 1997, for the grant of service connection. For the rating issue, the RO determined that the veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 50 percent.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed because he died during the pendency of his appeal. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The case is being remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining an addendum from a VA orthopedic examiner and verifying all periods of service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and finds no evidence linking any diagnosed disability to service. The case is remanded for further examination regarding left foot calcaneal spur and low back pain.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of the revised rating criteria.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a back condition that he claims is secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The case has been remanded due to the need for an examination to determine the etiology of the current back disability and its relationship, if any, to the residuals of the service-connected left knee injury.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of his low back disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of low back disability, cervical spine disability, and residuals of a diaphragm injury due to lack of evidence establishing direct service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back injury with spondylolisthesis.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a back disorder diagnosed as lumbar radiculopathy, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability and whether any present back disorder was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee. The RO should also consider whether higher or separate ratings are warranted under alternative rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting examinations to determine if the veteran's service-connected lumbar strain is causing or aggravating any other low back disorders.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for cervical disc disease, but denied her claim for pelvic inflammatory disease due to lack of current evidence. The veteran was in a motor vehicle accident during active duty for training which resulted in degenerative disc disease.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for a low back disorder and determined that it is related to active service.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the appellant's service-connected lumbosacral disc disease with S1 root compression, right side, status post L5-S1 discectomy effective January 22, 2004.