Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's back and heart disorders are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to any inservice injury or disease.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for degenerative disc disease at C6-C7 with radiculopathy and bilateral hearing loss.

Your claim for service connection for herniated lumbar disc (intervertebral disc syndrome) has been granted, and you are now receiving a 10% disability rating effective from May 1999. The appeal is dismissed as the issue of initial rating has been resolved.

The Board has determined that a 30 percent rating is warranted for the veteran's right knee disability, and service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to his right knee disability is granted.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with herniated nucleus pulposus, status post laminectomy and diskectomy is rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition. The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine does not warrant a compensable rating.

The veteran's claim for a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability was denied as the effective date could not be earlier than September 27, 1999 due to lack of factual ascertainability within one year prior.

The RO denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected hypoparathyroidism and degenerative disc disease with cervical stenosis of the cervical spine.

The Board finds no basis for granting the veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and DDD at L5-S1, as there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his period of active duty service. The claim for TDIU remains pending.

The veteran's overpayment of VA compensation benefits was denied because recovery would not be against the principles of equity and good conscience.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a back disability and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee disabilities to the RO for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected ankylosing spondylitis with low back pain and bilateral chondromalacia patella requires additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that new evidence does not warrant reopening of the claim for a back disability, and that there is no direct or secondary evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a seizure disorder. The veteran's low back disability is currently evaluated at 20 percent, which reflects moderate limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was granted effective from April 11, 1990, based on his permanent and total disability due to various service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an additional apportionment of the veteran's compensation benefits on behalf of their minor child, finding that the veteran reasonably discharged his responsibility for support and there was no demonstrated hardship.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for TDIU is denied due to a lack of evidence showing his employment status and medical records, as well as the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc and degenerative joint disease, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability was not caused or chronically worsened by his service-connected right shoulder and left arm disabilities, leading to a denial of all issues on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating for bilateral pes planus and service connection for back, ankle, and knee disabilities secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before a final decision can be made on the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities.