Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of low back injury and hearing loss, finding that he did not have veteran status during the relevant periods in the U.S. Army Reserve.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for postoperative residuals of a low back injury. However, the reopened claim is not well grounded as there is no clear evidence linking the current condition to military service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a lumbar back disorder and aneurysm, which he claims were caused by injuries sustained in 1957. The case must be remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examination.

The Board has granted a 60% evaluation for the veteran's service-connected lumbar spine arthritis/degenerative joint/disc disease, effective from September 1995.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for chemical sensitivity, allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, temporomandibular joint syndrome, and mechanical low back pain during active duty training from April 29 to September 7, 1970 are not well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD and denied his claims for service connection. The dental trauma claim was also denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current low back disability to his military service, and thus denied the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and for residuals of removal of a fistula are not well grounded, thus denying both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected low back strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for malaria, a back disability, and pulmonary tuberculosis. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for malaria.

The veteran's low back disability is currently manifested by subjective complaints of pain and some limitation of range of motion, but no severe lumbosacral strain, severe limitation of low back motion, or severe intervertebral disc syndrome has been demonstrated. The RO assigned a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's low back pain with limitation of motion.,The effective date for the assignment of a 30 percent evaluation for the residuals of a left Achilles tendon injury was granted to June 18, 1994, based on the date the veteran filed the reopened claim. The RO did not grant an earlier effective date as there is no medical evidence of an increase in the veteran's left Achilles tendon disability prior to that date.,The veteran underwent a surgical procedure for left Achilles tendinitis on September 20, 1995, and required one additional month of convalescence, to December 1, 1995. The RO granted an extension of the temporary total disability rating based on this surgery.

The Board has determined that the veteran's disability warrants a 30 percent evaluation, effective from September 8, 1993.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability warrants a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis and a 20 percent rating for impairment of the knee. The low back disability is rated at its maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 5295, with no additional compensable ratings warranted.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied as he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, and pes planus of the left foot with corrected congenital clubfoot are not supported by the evidence presented.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of injuries to the left shoulder, low back, hips, and knees, including arthritis.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if the veteran's service-connected low back disability results in the permanent loss of use of both lower extremities, necessitating the regular and constant use of a wheelchair or other assistive devices. The case will be returned for this purpose.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD warrants a 100% rating, and his claim of service connection for a chronic back disability is reopened.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been evaluated based on the criteria provided. The RO has denied increased evaluations for several of his conditions, including those related to shell fragment wounds and thoracotomy scars.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a heart disability, finding that there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.