Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's current back disorder is not etiologically related to a disease or injury incurred in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's degenerative spondyloarthrosis with chronic low back syndrome of the lumbosacral spine, and denied an increased rating for his left ear hearing loss.

The veteran's low back disorder and residuals of diskectomy at C5-C6 are currently rated as 40 percent and 20 percent disabling, respectively. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar back disorder are all related to his service. The evidence supports a finding of in-service noise exposure leading to hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an inservice low back injury resulting in a current disability.

The veteran's low back and right shoulder disorders are not service-connected, while his hip and knee conditions have been granted a 10% evaluation. His PTSD remains at 50%. The claims for increased evaluations remain denied.

The Board has granted a 20% rating for low back strain, a 10% rating for left ear hearing loss, and a 10% rating for tinnitus. The veteran's conditions are all rated based on their direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability is service-connected, and he is granted a 10 percent evaluation for his right knee disability. The left ankle disability claim was not substantiated in service records. The cervical spine, bilateral plantar fasciitis and calcaneal spurs, and residual dislocations of the 4th and 5th fingers are all rated as 10 percent disabling.

The veteran is granted an effective date of August 1, 1993 for the award of a compensable disability evaluation for chronic low back disorder.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability was denied as the earliest effective date is August 19, 1998.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with X-ray evidence of thoracic spine involvement is currently rated at 40 percent, but does not meet criteria for a higher rating. The veteran's total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the July 1991 rating decision that denied service connection for a low back disorder, as there was insufficient evidence to support such an award at that time.

The veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his symptoms were best approximated by the 30 percent rating. Service connection for low back disability and skin disability is also denied due to lack of sufficient medical evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any of his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death and DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were denied.

The Board has awarded service connection for postoperative residuals of L5-S1 diskectomy, finding that the veteran's current back disability is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disorder, right knee disorder, cervical spine disorder, upper back disorder, headaches, or left knee disorder. The Board found no in-service incurrence of these conditions and thus denied service connection for all issues.

The Board has denied service connection for neck and shoulder disorders, headaches, tinnitus, and a low back disorder. The claim for increased rating of chondromalacia of the right knee was also denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing VA examinations.

The veteran's lumbar spine disability became so severe that he was unable to work as of December 2, 1994. The effective date for the total rating based on individual unemployability is set at December 2, 1994.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and headaches and tinnitus secondary to head trauma.