Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar strain, bilateral knee disorders, and right elbow strain.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for post traumatic discogenic disease of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative joint disease at L5-S1, finding that the schedular criteria were not met.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic back disorder and left knee arthritis, but denied both on the merits due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back condition in service and denied the veteran's claims for low back disability, gastrointestinal disability, and ulnar nerve disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and bilateral leg disorders, as well as his increased evaluations for asthma, sinusitis, and nasal polyps. The reasons include failure to appear for VA examinations related to these issues.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for left knee, right shoulder, and low back disabilities due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active duty service.

The Board denied increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with traumatic degenerative joint disease and cervical strain with traumatic degenerative joint disease, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his compression fracture of L-1 and service connection for a right eye condition. The veteran was found to have mild limitation of motion of the lumbar spine, attributed to his inservice injury, but no more than that. His right eye condition is not considered service-connected.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to her service in the Persian Gulf, and thus denied.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for service connection of residuals from a low back injury, concluding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is denied. The issue of a higher initial rating for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine will be addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder, genital herpes, and a right thigh contusion. The veteran is assigned a noncompensable rating for his cervical spine disability.

The Board found that the veteran's lower back disorder was not present during service and is not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for his shell fragment wound scars of the left cheek and buttocks. The RO is directed to schedule the veteran for VA examinations to determine if he has any of the claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to new regulations and additional development is required.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the December 1998 rating decision. The RO is directed to schedule the veteran for an orthopedic examination to determine if his current back disability is related to military service.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that it was decided on the merits and not based on any presumption or secondary to another condition.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, disc bulge L5-S1 was denied. The claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also denied.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 100 percent for PTSD, finding the veteran demonstrably unable to obtain or retain employment due to his service-connected disability. The claim for a new and material evidence to reopen cervicodorsal strain was denied as no new evidence was submitted that would change the outcome.

The Board denied service connection for low back pain as secondary to a service-connected disability of the sural nerve distribution of the left foot due to lack of evidence of a current low back disorder.