Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's left knee disorder, chronic low back pain, and left shoulder disorder. Service connection was granted for mixed vascular and tension-type headaches (30% disabling) and bilateral ureteroceles and diverticulum, left ureter (noncompensable).

The Board has granted service connection for chronic lumbar strain and chronic cervical strain, but denied a compensable rating for residuals of a left hand fracture.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability secondary to Buerger's disease of the right lower extremity with right leg amputation, finding that there is no evidence linking the current low back disability to the service-connected condition.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder with depression and hypertension, do not render him unemployable for pension purposes.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The veteran's appeal is denied as there was no medical evidence showing that his disabilities prevented him from initiating or completing an educational program during the claimed periods.

The veteran's claims for service connection for low back, bilateral knee, and right elbow disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to service connection for a back condition, which was previously denied. The decision is based on direct evidence of a link between the veteran's military service and his current back condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome are all service-connected. The evidence supports these findings based on his combat experience during World War II.

The veteran's service-connected disability (residuals of herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine) does not prevent him from engaging in substantial and gainful employment compatible with his education and work experience, thus he is not individually unemployable by reason of service-connected disability alone.

The veteran's disability of degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was granted a 20 percent evaluation, which is above the requested excess over 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that an effective date of May 12, 1995 is warranted for a 20 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's low back disability. The criteria for a 20 percent rating were met on this date.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating and extraschedular evaluation for his service-connected lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying the type of Board hearing he desires.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes was granted, but he is still seeking a rating higher than 20 percent.

The veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with traumatic degenerative changes is rated at 40 percent, and the Board has granted a higher rating of 60 percent based on the severity of her condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine if the veteran's current back disability, including arthritis, is related to a service injury and whether there is sufficient evidence of record to grant service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if any diagnosed disc disease and/or wedging compression fractures at T12 and L1 are part of the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, and whether his subjective complaints of numbness and 'pins and needles' sensation are attributable to his service-connected degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral spine.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a low back disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.