Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's right knee postoperative residuals with degenerative joint disease and chronic lumbosacral strain, but denied an increase in rating for his postoperative right knee with laxity.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased evaluations of the right shoulder, right knee, and lower back strain.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The VA has determined that this rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Board found that the veteran's claim was not well-grounded because there is no medical evidence of a current low back disability.

The Board found that the veteran's claims of service connection for left knee, low back, and right hip disabilities are not well grounded due to lack of competent medical evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for the residuals of a low back injury and neck injury, as well as his eligibility for VA pension benefits based on Vietnam-era service, were denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current low back disorder, multiple joint disorder, or hearing loss disability. The veteran's service medical records do not show any diagnosed conditions related to these issues.,Service connection cannot be granted for the veteran's claimed disabilities as there is insufficient evidence linking them to his military service.

The veteran seeks service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders. The case is being remanded to obtain additional records, including SSA disability determination records, and to schedule the veteran for a VA orthopedic examination.

The VA determined that the veteran's DJD and DDD of the thoracic and lumbar spines were not related to his service or a service-connected disability, thus denying his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current lumbosacral strain is a chronic condition incurred during service and secondary to his service-connected bilateral ankle disability, warranting service connection.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his L5-S1 degenerative disc disease, status post laminectomy with sensory radiculopathy.

The veteran's dyshidrotic eczema of the hands is currently rated at 30 percent, which meets his claim for an increased rating.,The veteran's chronic low back strain is currently rated at 10 percent. The RO granted a higher rating to 30 percent effective November 14, 1995.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen his claim and that there was no additional disability resulting from VA medical treatment.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the appellant's thoracolumbar scoliosis, finding that a higher rating was not warranted due to the current 30 percent evaluation being based on moderate limitation of motion in both the dorsal and lumbar spine.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was denied in November 1989. The case was reopened and remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals, but further development is required before a final decision can be made.

The VA determined that the veteran's low back strain warrants a 20 percent disability rating, effective June 8, 1993.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for the appellant's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disorder, finding that new and material evidence had been presented.

The veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, manifested by numbness in the last two fingers of his left hand, is denied as there is no evidence connecting these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability. The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left knees, as well as his sinusitis, have also been granted.