Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the service connection of his low back disorder and thoracic spine disability, including consideration of secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for an upper body disability, including arthritis. The case is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of whether the appellant's claims should be granted on the merits.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disorder and a mid and low back disorder, finding that the veteran's current conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings were denied as there was no evidence of an increase in disability within one year prior to the date of receipt of his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and remanded the issues of increased evaluations for DDD and osteoarthritis of the cervical spine and lumbar spine.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee or back disorder, nor any link between service and these conditions. The claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his anxiety disorder with panic attacks, low back disorder, and seborrheic dermatitis was denied. The current rating for the anxiety disorder is 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic acquired low back disorder as secondary to his service-connected left lower leg and foot disability, and denied an increased rating for residuals of a crush injury and contusion of the left lower leg and foot. The veteran was awarded a partial increase in the rating from 10% to 20%, but remains entitled to further review.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability, characterized by degenerative disease of the lumbosacral spine, was aggravated during his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disorder, which was previously denied in 1989. The veteran's current condition is being considered based on his reported injury during National Guard training.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his low back disorder and tinnitus are still at issue. The Board found that the criteria were not met for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disease of the lumbosacral spine prior to November 21, 2000, and a rating higher than 20 percent as of this date and thereafter. For tinnitus, the veteran is not entitled to separate 10 percent disability ratings as a matter of law. There was no CUE in the December 1994 rating by not granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a pilonidal sinus and a back disorder, but denied the claim for a respiratory disorder due to asbestos exposure. The decision is based on new evidence that reopened the veteran's claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a comprehensive VA examination to assess the extent of his service-connected disabilities and associated symptoms.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen claims for service connection for a back disability and a skin disability. The case is remanded to the RO to obtain VA examinations regarding the etiology of these conditions, including any relationship between them and the veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service or the initial post-service year.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death. The appellant was denied entitlement to DIC under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 and an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals of lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and thus grants a TDIU with a combined rating of 70 percent.

The veteran's low back condition and initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids were granted. The veteran's psychiatric claim (PTSD) was denied, but he received a higher disability rating for his hemorrhoids.