Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine warrants a 30 percent disability evaluation, while his congestive heart failure with hypertension and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia with myocardial infarctions does not meet the criteria for a rating greater than 60 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for a back disorder, concluding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU, finding that the current evaluation of 40 percent for chronic low back pain with spasm adequately reflects his disability.

The Board has ordered remand due to incomplete records and the need for further medical development, including obtaining an MRI report and reviewing the claims file by a VA examiner.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a crush injury to the right leg and an acquired back disorder are not well-grounded, as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and granted a rating of 20 percent for limitation of motion of the lumbar spine. The veteran's claim was not well-grounded for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to active service. The claim for increased rating for left knee disability is pending.

The veteran's back disability, scars, and muscle and nerve damage are not service-connected. However, the VA surgery in June 1996 resulted in additional compensable conditions that were a necessary consequence of the procedure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cardiovascular disorder, including hypertension and myocardial infarction, was aggravated by service. The lumbar spine disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are not well-grounded claims as there is no evidence of a pre-service diagnosis or in-service onset. The duodenal ulcer disease claim is also not well-grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is not well grounded and denied it.

The Board found that the claim of secondary service connection was not well-grounded, and denied both the direct service connection claim due to lack of a causal connection between the service-connected left hip disorder and the current back disability. The appellant's claim for direct service connection is supported by medical evidence suggesting a possible relationship between the reported in-service injury and the current disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar spine disorder warrants a 20% rating and her cervical spine disorder also warrants a 20% rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including ulcers, tinea of the hands and feet, anxiety disorder, hypertension, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and hearing loss, are well-grounded. The right ear hearing impairment was incurred in service.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the veteran's current back disorder and his active service, thus denying the claim.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the service-connected low back strain, currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the November 1993 rating decision. The claim is well-grounded as there is competent medical evidence linking the current back disability to events in service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and a back disability due to new evidence. The claim for service connection for a stomach disorder is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a back disorder, as well as his increased evaluations for schistosomiasis and gunshot wound of the right ankle. The Board found that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to service or secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's low back strain is currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling. The Board found that the schedular criteria for a higher rating have not been met.