Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is not well-grounded because there is no medical evidence linking his current back disorder to his military service or his claimed continuous symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a well-grounded claim for service connection for back and shoulder disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a definitive medical opinion regarding employment eligibility and readjudicating the claims based on all evidence of record.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in an employment handicap, meeting the criteria for Chapter 31 vocational rehabilitation training.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for postoperative status surgical fusion of lumbar spine with spondylosis of L5-S1 is not well grounded because there is no competent evidence establishing a nexus between this condition and service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the medical records and discrepancies between the veteran's statements and contemporaneous service records.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for headaches, fatigue, low back disorder, right knee disorder, epididymitis, and sinusitis due to an undiagnosed illness are not well grounded as there is no evidence of such conditions in service or post-service. The veteran's current symptoms were attributed to his pre-existing cervical strain.

The Board denied service connection for a thoracic spine disorder and ratings in excess of the current 20 percent for cervical and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, as well as sinusitis/allergic rhinitis. The veteran's conditions are currently rated based on their severity.

The Board has denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that the new evidence submitted is not material.

The veteran's appeals for service connection for a back disability and an increased evaluation for asthma were denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well-grounded, as there is no medical evidence linking any claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a low back injury are currently manifested by pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome, intermittent lumbar radiculopathy, characteristic low back pain, demonstrable muscle spasm and absent ankle jerk. The criteria for an increased evaluation to 60 percent have been met.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease does not warrant a higher disability rating, as it is currently evaluated at 40 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for educational assistance benefits under chapter 35 of title 38, United States Code. The decision found that the earliest she could have applied was when her husband became permanently and totally disabled in 1992, which is one year before March 4, 1996, when her application was received.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that any inservice back problem was acute and transitory without apparent residuals, and that post-service back problems are not related to service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbosacral disc disease was denied because he failed to report for a required VA spine examination without good cause.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded, and therefore denied.

The VA denied a claim for an increased evaluation of the veteran's lumbosacral strain, currently rated at 40 percent. The evidence did not support a higher rating based on service-connected conditions or other criteria.

The veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and his right knee residuals are also rated at 20 percent. The Board found that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of the disabilities.

The veteran's hypertension disability is rated at 100 percent, his low back disability is rated as 100 percent, and his rectus muscle hernia disability is also rated at 100 percent.