Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities. The RO had previously granted service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's compression fracture of L1 with degenerative changes and low back strain is now rated at 20 percent, effective June 13, 1998. His bilateral inguinal hernia remains noncompensable.

The veteran's appeal is about his claim for a higher rating for his service-connected intervertebral disc pathology of the lumbosacral spine. The case has been remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examination.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of head and thumb injuries, finding them to be the result of the veteran's own misconduct. Service connection was granted for osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with a rating in excess of 20 percent not being warranted.

The veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities. The veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, and there is no entitlement to dependents' education benefits.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the medical evidence to address deficiencies in prior examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, finding that they are proximately due to his service-connected contusion in the lumbosacral region. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of a contusion in the lumbosacral region is remanded.

The veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for her service-connected degenerative disc disease of the low back. The case has been remanded to obtain a VA examination that addresses functional loss due to pain and other factors.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, headaches, and ulcer and hiatal hernia as secondary to the veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot stress fracture residuals and a chronic back disability due to lack of new and material evidence, and because there was no showing of a current disability related to active duty.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and an increased rating for residuals of a fracture of the distal third of the left tibia, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of the record, including obtaining service medical records and arranging for a VA orthopedic examination to determine the current nature and extent of his lumbar spine fracture residuals.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current low back disorder to his service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for loss of sense of smell, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder were not well-grounded due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The veteran's appeal to reopen his claim for service connection of a low back disability has been dismissed due to the death of the veteran.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder due to new and material evidence. However, the claim remains denied as there is no medical evidence showing a causal relationship between the current back disorder and service.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability was not well-grounded due to lack of evidence linking his current condition to an in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and lumbar spine disability, finding that the veteran's current conditions are not related to her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and lymphedema of the left leg, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current 10 percent ratings.

The Board has denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings of his chronic lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, but granted a compensable rating for postoperative residuals of a ganglion cyst in the right wrist.