Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a back disorder and hepatitis B and C, but finds that these claims are not well-grounded.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a hearing before a traveling Member of the Board and returning it to the Board for appellate consideration.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder. The claim of service connection for headaches was found to be well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders are not well grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence linking his current back problems to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a back disorder are not well grounded. The case was remanded multiple times, but no new evidence was provided to support these claims.

The Board has granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to the service-connected lumbar spine disability, effective from April 11, 1997.

The veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his degenerative disc disease at L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1 with lumbosacral strain. The RO has remanded the case to obtain additional evidence and consider whether separate disability ratings are warranted.

The Board found that the appellant's multiple disabilities do not render her unable to perform activities of daily living without assistance, and thus did not meet the criteria for special monthly DIC benefits based on need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound.

The Board found that the appellant's claim was not well grounded and denied service connection for back disability.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability is not related to his military service, including an in-service injury while playing softball. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, and the RO is remanding the case to obtain additional evidence.

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

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the evidence supports this determination.

The veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his service-connected conditions have been granted, with a 10% evaluation assigned for each condition.

The veteran's service-connected low back strain with neurological deficit is currently rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The appeal for an increased rating has been denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for back and knee disorders as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The RO's January 1981 decision is final, and no further action can be taken on these claims without reopening them first.

The veteran's low back strain resulted in no more than slight limitation of motion from August 30, 1996 to June 22, 1998 and moderate limitation of motion thereafter.,The veteran's maxillary sinusitis was characterized by mild x-ray manifestations and occasional symptoms such as infrequent headaches.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including dermatitis of the arms and groin area, left ear hearing loss, chronic meibomianitis of both eyes, a chronic eye disorder (claimed as herpes), a chronic elbow disorder (claimed as lateral epicondylitis of the left elbow), a bilateral knee disorder, a chronic back disorder (claimed as degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine), and a chronic neck disorder (claimed as degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine).

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a chronic digestive system disorder, neck injuries, lumbar disc disease, and chronic right and left ankle disorders due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain, currently rated at 20 percent.