Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for cervical pain, frostbite of the hands, and frostbite of the feet. Additionally, the Board remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for lumbosacral strain as well as entitlement to compensable evaluations for appendectomy and residuals of cyst removal, lower lip.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and generalized arthritis are not well-grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board granted service connection for right ankle disability and denied claims for left knee, low back, and left ankle disabilities. The veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, finding that his disability did not warrant such an increase.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing due to his request for such.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded as there is no evidence of a current disability or link to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disorder, and this evidence suggests a possible link between an inservice injury in 1957 and the current degenerative disks found in the veteran's spine.

The veteran's service-connected conditions (priapism and low back disorder) do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes due to their combined effect, as they are rated at 20% and 10%, respectively. The claim is denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition was incurred in or aggravated by military service.,The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 60 percent evaluation for his low back disability was also denied because it was not factually ascertainable that he met the criteria for such rating prior to February 13, 1997.

The veteran's low back disorder with degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently evaluated at a 20 percent rating, and the Board finds that this evaluation adequately reflects his disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding no competent evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is well grounded and remanded to further consider the evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's lumbosacral strain, degenerative disc disease, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The initial evaluation assigned is 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected conditions have been denied. The RO has assigned the highest possible evaluation of 10 percent for each condition, and no additional compensation is warranted.

The Board has established entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disorder on the basis of aggravation. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for a lumbar spine injury is remanded pending further development.

The Board found no evidence of a well-grounded claim for service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and a disability characterized by headaches as not well-grounded.

The veteran's loss of use of the lower extremities is not due to a service-connected disability, and he does not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptations grants.

The Board found no competent evidence linking the veteran's current low back disorder to an inservice injury, thus denying his claim for service connection.