Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render her unemployable on an ascertainable date prior to September 12, 1997 and denied the claim for an earlier effective date.

The veteran's service-connected back disorder did not cause or contribute to his death from urosepsis and CVA. The Board found that the underlying causes of death were vascular disease and dementia, which are unrelated to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic prostatitis, and lumbosacral strain with spina bifida are denied as there is no current medical evidence definitively establishing these conditions or linking them to active service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability due to new and material evidence submitted, but it remains undecided whether this claim should be granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the claimed temporomandibular joint disability, facial nerve damage, and psychiatric disability. Service connection was denied for a neck disability.

The Board has denied both the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic low back pain with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and for a compensable rating for a chronic left ankle sprain.

The VA has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the appellant's low back disability, effective from November 1, 1998.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which is in line with his request. The claim will now be considered on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates of February 17, 1999 for a 60 percent rating for service-connected chronic low back strain with herniated nucleus pulposus and for a TDIU.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability is at least as likely as not related to an in-service motor vehicle accident, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, claimed as secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder and for an increased rating for Achilles tendonitis. The claim for a temporary total evaluation due to treatment for a service-connected disability requiring convalescence was also denied.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The right knee condition is rated as 10 percent disabling, with a separate rating of 10 percent for DJD. Lumbosacral strain is also rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's myofascial pain syndrome of the low back was incurred during service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability, resulting in a denial.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's claims as he did not file a timely substantive appeal within one year of the August 1998 rating decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for an unspecified back disability due to lack of evidence supporting a current disability and no credible assertions or medical findings linking any current condition to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the April 1973 decision. The issue now is whether service connection should be granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 3, 1994 for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not show that the veteran was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to this date.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a compression fracture at L-1, finding that his pronounced degenerative disc disease warrants this increased rating.

The veteran's PTSD was granted with a 70 percent evaluation, and other service-connected conditions were also granted. The veteran's TDIU claim was also granted.