Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability existed prior to service and may have been aggravated during service, warranting service connection.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of a wound infection acquired as a result of VA treatment, finding no additional disability resulting from the surgery and post-operative complications.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is not well grounded, and thus denied.

The veteran's disabilities do not confine him to his house or immediate premises, and he is not in need of regular aid and attendance due to his conditions.

The veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disorder, and tinnitus are all granted. The Board found that the veteran likely has current hearing disability due to disease or injury incurred in service, a back disability secondary to disk space narrowing and degenerative changes, and tinnitus due to his now service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar disc disease as secondary to the veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities. The case is remanded for further development of medical records.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a back condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an increased evaluation for his low back disability and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability, finding that the current 50 percent schedular rating adequately compensates him.

The VA denied an increased disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected low back disorder, currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and maintaining gainful employment as of May 22, 1997. The effective date for the TDIU rating is set at this date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various disabilities, including a low back disability, right ankle disability, and right knee disability. The RO granted service connection for left distal fibula fracture and closed reduction and external fixation tibia fracture with iliac crest bone graft, but denied other requested benefits.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disk disease of the lumbosacral spine as there was no evidence linking it to active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including dysthymia, is as likely as not related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected low back disorder, left shoulder disorder, and hypertension. The only issue that was granted a compensable rating was for the residuals of a left wrist ganglion cyst.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 60 percent, and he was granted service connection for migraine headaches.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral defective hearing and low back disability was denied by the RO. The case is now remanded to allow for additional development of the record.

The veteran's low back disorder was rated at 60 percent effective January 11, 2000. He also received a TDIU from the same date.

The Board has determined that new evidence supports a finding of service connection for the veteran's back disorder, which is linked to an injury sustained during military service in November 1955.

The veteran's PTSD was granted a 100% evaluation effective March 1, 2001. Service connection for a back disorder and skin condition were denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating, as they are currently evaluated at noncompensable levels. The appeal is denied.