Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's application for Service Disabled Veterans Insurance (SDVI) was denied because he did not submit an application within the two-year statutory period following his most recent grant of service connection in November 1997.

The Board has determined that further examination is needed to determine the nature, severity, and etiology of any lumbosacral spine and/or leg disorders. The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded for additional development.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and an earlier effective date were denied. The appeal of the November 1983 rating decision regarding service connection for allergies, asthma, and arthritis was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left hip injury, psychiatric disability (including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD), and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine with lumbosacral strain. The evidence did not show any current left hip disability or residuals of a left hip injury.

The VA denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's lumbar myositis, degenerative joint disease, and herniated disc. The claim for service connection for sinusitis was not addressed as it is separate from the main issue.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disorder. The Board also found that the veteran's current low back disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic acquired disorder of the left knee, right shoulder and neck, or low back, hip, and buttock that is related to service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board found that the veteran does not have chronic acquired low back, right knee, and right ankle disorders linked to service on any basis.

The veteran's claim for additional compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of his spouse was denied as no claim had been filed prior to his death.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for back disability, including lumbar neuralgia and right/left foot drop. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examination to determine appropriate rating and service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired variously diagnosed low back disorder is being remanded due to inadequate examination and incomplete development of the record.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected recurrent low back strain, and for readjudication under both old and new VA rating criteria.

The veteran's claims for reopening service connection and for CUE in a 1991 rating decision are being remanded due to the interrelated nature of these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a low back injury, effective August 19, 1999. However, the veteran is seeking an earlier effective date.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including irregular heartbeat, ringing in the ears and vertigo, prostate disorder, and low back pain. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The veteran's PTSD results in total social and occupational impairment, warranting a 100 percent disability rating. The lumbosacral strain is rated at the maximum available.

The Board has determined that a 60 percent rating is warranted for the service-connected residuals of low back injury with degenerative disc disease, status post L4-5 intervertebral disc surgery from November 1, 1994 to August 17, 1999.

The veteran seeks service connection for a back disorder, currently characterized as lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, which he claims is related to his service-connected residual scar of penetrating gunshot wound to the posterior chest and mid scapular region. The VA has not fulfilled its duty to assist in obtaining relevant medical records.

The veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The reasons given were that the veteran repeatedly failed to appear for scheduled VA examinations and MRI appointments without providing good cause.