Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's thyroid nodular disease, bilateral cataracts of the eyes, and low back disability based on exposure to ionizing radiation in service. The effective date is not specified as it was determined that there was no new evidence to reopen previous claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, low back disorder, kidney disorder (claimed as hematuria), prostate disorder, lung disorder, and migraine headaches. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for cardiovascular disease including hypertension is not well-grounded, and his claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and found that the veteran's current left foot disability warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from Tucson and requesting medical evidence linking the veteran's disabilities to service.

The Board found that the appellant's diagnoses of degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine are not related to inservice neck and back injuries, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder did not originate in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cervical and thoracic spine disabilities are not service-connected, but acknowledges that there were in-service complaints related to these conditions. The decision is mixed as some issues have been granted while others have not.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected low back disability, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current symptoms and examination findings.

The veteran's claims for a left knee disability evaluation and a nonservice-connected pension are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his records. The RO will consider staged ratings for the left knee disability, assign separate ratings for each nonservice-connected disorder, and readjudicate the issue of entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine if the veteran's preexisting back disorders increased in severity or worsened during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities, finding no competent medical evidence linking current conditions to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder manifested by memory loss is not well-grounded. The issues of increased evaluations for left nephrectomy, lumbosacral strain with arthritis and sciatic neuralgia, bronchitis with history of pulmonary fibrosis, and left ear hearing loss have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated employment information and medical records.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his degenerative disc disease at L3-L4 and L4-L5 is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis warrants a 20 percent evaluation, reflecting moderate disability.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for her service-connected degenerative disc disease, L3-4, L4-5. She also seeks an extraschedular evaluation due to the impact of this disability on employment.

The Board has found that the veteran's claims are well grounded and have determined that there is a plausible connection between his service-connected Achilles tendon rupture of the left foot and his current right knee, left knee, and low back disorders. The case is being remanded for further examination to determine the nature and extent of these conditions.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for postoperative residuals of a left inguinal hernia and arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, finding that there was no objective evidence of current disability.