Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The VA has denied the claims of increased evaluation for anxiety neurosis with psychotic features, service connection for prostate cancer with metastases, low back disorder, and headaches. The appellant's psychiatric condition is rated at 30 percent under the schedular criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for his sinus disorder, low back strain, right knee pain syndrome, and left knee pain syndrome are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of chronic sinusitis or other service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and a compensable evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the mandible, finding that there was insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear and skin disabilities, as well as applications to reopen claims of service connection for back, neck, and shoulder disabilities. The claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a back disability caused or aggravated by a myelogram performed in 1966 was also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, left knee disability, and low back disability are denied as not well grounded. The claim for increased rating of right knee disability is also denied.

The Board has granted a compensable evaluation of 10% for the veteran's dermatological condition of the back and chest, bilateral foot condition (calluses), and low back pain/strain. The claim for obstructive pulmonary disease remains unchanged as it was not rated.

The veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently productive of not more than severe limitation of motion, and does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 40 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding no evidence of a chronic disability during service and insufficient evidence linking his current condition to any incident of service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's scoliosis of lumbar spine with spondylosis and spondylolisthesis warrants a 20 percent disability rating, reflecting moderate limitation of motion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar disc disease and major depression, finding that the current manifestations do not warrant a higher rating.

The veteran is seeking restoration of his previously assigned disability ratings for lumbosacral strain and surgical scar due to diskectomy. The RO reduced these ratings, and the Board has determined that further evaluation is necessary before making a decision.

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbosacral strain does not warrant a higher initial rating than the current 20 percent assigned since her symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected low back strain, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder was not well-grounded due to lack of medical evidence linking his current condition to service. The failure to report for a scheduled VA examination also contributed to the denial.

The veteran's low back injury with herniated disc is rated at 60 percent disabling, and he meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a skin disorder, and a back disorder are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for secondary service connection and an increased rating for his service-connected back disorder, finding that there was no medical evidence to support a plausible relationship between the current degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and the service-connected chronic low back pain.

The veteran's mechanical low back pain with disc disease, L4-L5 level is currently rated at 20 percent. The right ear defective hearing is rated as noncompensable (0 percent).