Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional service medical records and VA treatment records.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for low back pain and osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine was denied by the RO. The case is being remanded to schedule a hearing in accordance with the appellant's request.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in denying service connection for left knee disability, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disability. These conditions are now granted.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, effective from May 18, 1993.

The Board has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the veteran's lumbar spine fusion at L4-5 and L5-S1, effective from the date of the decision. The claim for entitlement to TDIU was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and denied restoration to a 40 percent rating for residuals of a fracture of the cervical spine with arthritis and degenerative disc disease. The veteran's other claims were not addressed due to procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability is not proximately due to or the result of her service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board found that the veteran's disorders of the knees, hips and lumbar spine are not shown to be proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds (SFWs) of the feet. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes as secondary to his service-connected right knee injury, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision is based on a lack of evidence showing that the service-connected right knee injury caused or aggravated the veteran's back condition.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbosacral strain is related to his service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and for an increased rating for residuals of a fracture, 5th metacarpal, right hand. The Board found no medical evidence linking the current back disorder to service and concluded that the functional impairment in the right hand was due to median nerve entrapment rather than the old fracture.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the veteran's service-connected varicocele, status-post varicocelectomy. However, it granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spine.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is not well grounded and has been remanded to obtain a medical opinion linking the condition to service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, citing lack of evidence to support his claim.

The veteran's low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease with sciatic neuropathy, has been rated at 60 percent since the date of her claim. This rating is based on the severity of symptoms including pain and neurological deficits.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to additional SMC by reason of need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities other than loss of use of both feet.

The veteran's major depression has been granted a 100% rating since December 1989, effective from the date of his claim. The back disability remains at 60%. The earlier effective date for TDIU is being remanded.

The veteran's low back disorder preexisted service and was aggravated by active duty. Service connection for the lumbar spine condition is granted.