Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective date for the current 20% rating for cervical spine disability was set at September 14, 1996.

The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her lumbosacral strain was granted, with the effective date being June 2, 1997.,Prior to June 2, 1997, the veteran had a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings are not well grounded and have denied both his claim for an increased rating for chronic strain, lumbosacral sacroiliac coccygodynia and his claim for a compensable disability rating for malaria.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the appeal was dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals by the appellant. The claim for a chronic back disability remains pending.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for panic disorder and a non-increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded and denied them.

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

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder and bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for a low back disorder and left hip disorder. The veteran is assigned a 10% rating for his headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, attributing the latter to undiagnosed illness during military service. Service connection was not established for fatigue, memory loss, or sleep disorder.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic lumbosacral strain and tinnitus, are sufficiently severe to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The VA determined that the veteran's current low back disability was not related to his service, as there is no evidence linking it to an in-service injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his lumbar and cervical strains, as well as an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for fibromyalgia. The effective date for a 40 percent evaluation for fibromyalgia was set at April 16, 1989.

The Board has determined that the veteran's conditions do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability evaluation, and thus denied his claims.

The veteran's severe arthritis, which was service-connected, substantially contributed to his death from cardiorespiratory arrest.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for the claimed conditions, as they are not related to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at L5-S1, L4-L5, with spondylosis was denied as there is no evidence to support a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim and determined that new evidence supports a finding of service connection for cervical, dorsal, and lumbar spine disabilities. These conditions are found to be related to his service-connected right and left clavicle fracture residuals.

The Board has granted a 40% rating for the veteran's low back disorder, which includes degenerative disc disease and postoperative residuals of an L4-L5 herniated disc. The condition produces severe limitation of motion of the lumbar spine.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating for pension purposes was denied. The Board found that he failed to present evidence of a well-grounded claim for service connection for back and lower extremity disabilities under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's low back strain is due to an injury sustained in service and the Board has determined that this condition qualifies for service connection.