Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and consideration of DeLuca v. Brown principles.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's cervical strain and denied any increase in his lumbosacral strain rating, as both conditions are separately evaluated.

The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of lumbosacral surgeries is denied as not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a 60 percent rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability, which includes severe limitation of motion and symptoms compatible with spinal stenosis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back symptoms are primarily due to a work-related injury in 1990 and age, rather than service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder and found it to be well grounded. The claim is now before the Board for further consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for lupus, bilateral hip disorder, migraine headaches, and lumbar spine disorder are not well grounded. There is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The veteran's upper back disorder and low back disorder are not service-connected. The claim for increased disability evaluation for right knee injury is pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, hypertension, hearing loss, and left eye injury. The decision also noted that new evidence was submitted to reopen some of these claims but did not meet the criteria for reopening others.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection of a back disability is well-grounded, and it grants this issue. The right lower extremity increase rating claims are also considered well-grounded.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc and joint disease, but denied the claims for increased evaluations of chondromalacia patella of both knees. The veteran's knee conditions are currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis and a low back disorder as not well grounded. The case is remanded to consider any evidence obtained since the Notice of Disagreement.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound is denied as she does not meet the criteria for either condition.

The Board determined that the preponderance of the evidence did not support an increase in the original evaluations assigned for the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypothyroidism, low back, migraine headache, right knee, left knee, left shoulder, and left wrist disabilities. The RO had initially assigned zero percent (noncompensable) evaluations, which were later changed to 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids and left wrist sprain have been granted compensable evaluations. Service connection for neck strain has also been established, but the other issues remain unresolved.

The Board finds that there is competent medical evidence linking the veteran's currently diagnosed back disorder to his period of service. As a result, the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is granted.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder has been reopened, and the Board has granted this appeal.

The Board found no additional disability resulting from the veteran's slip and fall at a VA medical facility in May 1993, thus denying his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right kidney disorder and low back disorder, finding that there was no new and material evidence to reopen the right kidney claim and that the claims were not well-grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded, and thus denied them.