Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted a 60% disability rating for the service-connected lumbar spine condition effective July 21, 1998.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for his lumbosacral spine condition was denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the veteran's lumbosacral strain evaluation from 40 percent to 20 percent was proper and denied his appeal.

The Board found no evidence of a current lower back disability related to service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability, including spondylolisthesis and spondylolysis with degenerative changes, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The veteran's fibromyositis of the thoracic spine muscles is currently noncompensable as there are no current symptoms related to this condition.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with arthritis is granted. The claims of service connection for right hip and knee disability are reopened, but the new evidence does not establish service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The veteran's low back syndrome with degenerative disc disease is rated at 60 percent, the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 5293. The TDIU issue will be remanded to the RO for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the veteran withdrew his appeal with regard to these issues.

The Board denied the appellant's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the submitted evidence was not new and material.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and a back condition, but granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the left ankle disability effective March 29, 1999.

The veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is currently rated at 20 percent, which reflects moderate pain with recurring attacks. The Board found that this condition does not warrant a higher rating as it does not meet the criteria for severe intervertebral disc syndrome or severe limitation of motion.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's lumbar strain with spondylosis, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation greater than 10 percent.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and a combined rating is denied. The effective date of his service connection cannot be earlier than June 13, 1996 due to the one-year rule after separation from active service. His current combined rating remains at 70%.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis as secondary to the veteran's service-connected low back strain disability, and has also granted a 100 percent evaluation for major depression.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence, finding that his ankylosing spondylitis of the entire spine and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc degeneration and herniation, status post left L3-4 diskectomy and L7 foraminotomy warrants a rating no higher than 40 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected low back strain with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine, finding that the evidence does not warrant a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.

The VA denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a chronic back disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's major depression is rated at 70 percent effective from November 1998, and his patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knees are each rated at 10 percent effective from November 1998. The lumbosacral strain with herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent effective from November 1998.