Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated, and no ratings in excess of the current ones are warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder is related to his service-connected postoperative arthrotomies and flexion contracture of the right knee, granting service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating prior to February 5, 1997 was denied. However, his claim for a 20 percent evaluation effective from February 5, 1997 was granted.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disorder, and the appeal is granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for acne was denied, but her low back disability was granted with a 40% rating. The appeal is mixed as it includes both granted and denied issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back disability is related to an inservice motor vehicle accident and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's request for vocational rehabilitation benefits was denied. The case is remanded to review the claim and address any newly raised issues, including an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for mechanical low back pain and headaches secondary to mechanical low back pain, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for mechanical low back pain. The Board also found that service connection for headaches on a secondary basis was not warranted.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, insomnia, mid-back myositis, low back strain, and headaches have been denied. The RO found that the veteran does not meet the regulatory criteria for a current disability involving bilateral hearing loss. For the other conditions, the RO granted service connection but assigned 10 percent disability ratings.

The veteran's low back condition is currently rated at 20% and his right elbow disorder was increased to 20% from February 11, 1999 to July 25, 2000. The RO has granted the requested increases.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected chronic lumbar strain, currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and the need for additional development, including medical examinations.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected back sprain of the lumbar region, finding that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disability was granted, but the current evaluation remains at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back degenerative disc disease and bilateral hip arthritis were not incurred in or aggravated by military service, as there is no competent evidence of record showing such conditions within one year of his discharge. The veteran also does not have currently diagnosed leg, ankle, or foot disorders.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral flatfoot and transitional lumbosacral vertebra with pseudoarthritis were denied. The claim to reopen a right knee injury was also denied.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings and initial ratings were denied. The low back disability was not timely appealed, the postoperative residuals of a stress fracture of the right distal fibula met criteria for a compensable rating, but the hearing loss did not meet criteria for higher than noncompensable ratings.

The veteran's lumbosacral degenerative disc disease is currently evaluated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5293. The RO has granted service connection for this condition and assigned a non-compensable evaluation for bilateral pes planus, allergic rhinitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Low Back Disorder due to lack of verified in-service stressors and insufficient evidence linking the current conditions to military service.