Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back injury and sensory changes of the right tibial nerve, contributed to his cause of death from an acute myocardial infarction.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for right ear disability, dizziness, and back disorder are not well grounded as there is no competent evidence of current diagnoses or a link between these conditions and service.

The Board found that the veteran does not have L5-S1 radiculopathy and denied his claim for higher disability evaluation for chronic mechanical low back pain. The current rating of 20% is appropriate given the veteran's symptoms.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current chronic back disorder, including residuals of a laminotomy, to his active duty service. The claim was denied as there is insufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability rating for the veteran's lumbosacral strain and lumbosacral spine arthritis, finding that the symptoms of pain and limitation of motion more nearly approximate the criteria for such a rating.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left shoulder, right ankle sprains, and residuals of left ankle sprains have been denied. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability is pending.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee arthritis, post-operative left knee injury, and lumbosacral strain. The claim for TDIU remains pending.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's thoracic-lumbar strain, which is more severe than the current 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and low back disability are service-connected, with no presumption or secondary connection involved. The decision grants these claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder. The RO must now determine whether this claim is well-grounded.

The Board has ordered additional development to evaluate the severity of the veteran's service-connected low back disability, including considering all factors identified in 38 C.F.R. � 4.40 and 4.45 (1999). The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's back disorder, prostate disorder, and PTSD due to a lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted a 30% rating for the veteran's service-connected low back disability, finding that his overall lumbar motion is not more than moderately restricted. The claim for secondary service connection for psychiatric disability was found to be not well grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of increased evaluations for his dorsal and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as service connection for a pancreatic disability. The decision found that the veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish a plausible claim for any of these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for low back and left hip disorders are not well grounded, thus denying these claims.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for further development, including obtaining additional evidence from doctors who may have opinions regarding the nature and extent of the appellant's back disorder. The claim will be re-adjudicated in accordance with the directives set forth by the Court.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine and low back disorders did not develop during service, and her arthritis of both shoulders is not related to service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection of a low back injury, as the additional evidence did not bear directly and substantially on the issue.

The Board has granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, effective from March 1997. The veteran's bilateral osteoarthritis of the knees is rated as 10 percent disabling since March 1997.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected low back disorder and hidradenitis with cellulitis of the lower extremities, both rated at 20 percent.