Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for chronic low back disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the February 1995 RO decision. The claim is well grounded, and a VA examination will be conducted to determine the etiology of the veteran's low back disability.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's Raynaud's disease, esophagitis, or back disorder to his active duty service or his service-connected dermatitis. As such, the claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a temporary total disability rating based on need for convalescence following lumbar disc surgery in October 1995, as the surgery was not for treatment of a service-connected condition.

The Board finds that there is not a reasonable possibility of valid claims concerning the veteran's claimed disabilities, including hypothyroidism, hemorrhoids, bilateral eye disability, bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities, asthma, low back disability, hypoglycemia, bilateral hand and ankle disabilities, gastrointestinal disability, acquired cognitive disorder, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and residuals of Epstein-Barr virus infection. These conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain, finding that it is analogous to severe limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back disorder, and a respiratory disorder (emphysema) are not well-grounded as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active duty.

The veteran's degenerative spondylosis of the lumbar spine and degenerative disc disease of L4-5 and L5-S1 is currently rated at 20 percent, but meets criteria for a 40 percent evaluation due to marked limitation of motion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic acquired low back disorder and arthritis of the right knee as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The appeals were not well-grounded.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a back disorder was granted, with the effective date being March 6, 1998.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection of a back condition, hypertension, left knee disability, mental illness, and asthma/bronchial disorder are not well grounded. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his active service.

The Board found that the veteran's appeals were timely, and determined that she had a current tendonitis of the right shoulder and arm that was incurred in active service. The veteran did not submit well-grounded claims for service connection for a back disability, residuals of stress fractures of the legs, bladder dysfunction, or a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for anxiety neurosis. The claims for service connection for PTSD, chronic lung disease as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, hypotesticularosteopenia or loss of bone mass, a mid and upper back disorder, human adjuvant disease with peripheral neuropathy as secondary to service-connected removal of the right testicle with testicular silicone implant; ulcers as secondary to medications prescribed for service-connected disability; and chronic fatigue syndrome are supported by cognizable evidence showing that they are plausible or capable of substantiation. The claim for service connection for hypothyroidism is not supported by cognizable evidence showing it is plausible or capable of substantiation.

The VA surgery in September 1984 did not result in an increase in severity of the veteran's pre-existing lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back injury. The right knee evaluation remains at 20% due to residual symptoms, but the veteran's appeal is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed back injury and headaches are not related to his active military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disorder, left shoulder disorder, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The appeals were based on direct service connection or as secondary to his service-connected pes planus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and he was assigned a 10 percent evaluation for each of the conditions listed on the first page of this decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip condition and to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a back condition. The decision found that there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to military service.