Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and an in-service injury or event.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for residuals of a shell fragment wound of the right thigh.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and neck disorders, including as secondary to his service-connected conversion reaction disability. The conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for left sacroiliac irritation with low back pain and arthritis was granted, but only up to a 20 percent rating effective March 31, 2001. The appeal is denied for the period prior to September 26, 2003.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability. However, further development is needed due to the need for additional medical examination to determine if there is an etiological relationship between active duty and the claimed right hip avascular necrosis (claimed as arthritis of the right hip).

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims of service connection for a left ankle disability, low back disability, and left knee disability. As such, these claims remain denied.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disorder were all denied as there is no evidence of a connection between the conditions and active service. There are also no presumptions of exposure due to military service (e.g., burn pit, Agent Orange).

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete evidence and need for VA examinations.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's low back strain with herniated disc, effective from the date of the decision. The veteran's claim for TDIU was also granted.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine was granted, but only as of March 12, 1999.,The veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for neck, low back, gout, and psychiatric disorders due to a lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back disorder is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. The RO is instructed to obtain a medical opinion from a VA examiner to address whether it is as likely as not that the condition is related to an injury or disease in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and a need for further examination.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral pes planus was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain is being remanded to the RO.

The veteran is granted an effective date of December 30, 1991 for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that a more contemporaneous examination is needed to ascertain whether the need for specially adapted housing cited by Dr. Roberts is attributable to specific service-connected disabilities.