Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and assigned a 40% disability rating effective January 28, 1992. Attorney fees are payable from past-due benefits stemming from this award.

The Board has dismissed the appeal because the veteran's substantive appeal was not filed within the required time frame.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital is denied as she has not met the three elements necessary for such reimbursement.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and low back disorder. The appellant's preexisting conditions were found to not be aggravated by his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded, and denied them.

The Board found no competent evidence linking the veteran's psychiatric or back disorders to his military service, thus denying both claims.

The Board denied an increased rating for service-connected lumbosacral strain with arthritis, currently evaluated at 40 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder is well-grounded and ordered additional development to determine the nature of her current back disorders and their relationship to service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected conditions were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral disc and joint disease, a 10 percent rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, or any other condition.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection for lumbar strain is well-grounded and remanded to allow further development. The claims of bilateral shin splints and bilateral plantar fasciitis are not well-grounded.

The Board finds that the veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and is not proximately due to his service-connected thoracic back strain. The criteria for a higher rating for his thoracic back strain have been met, but he does not meet the requirements for a TDIU rating.

The Board has denied both claims for higher evaluations, finding that the veteran's conditions do not warrant a rating in excess of what is currently assigned.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome post lumbar laminectomy with sacroiliitis, from 40 percent since June 1997.

The Board found that the veteran's claim is well grounded and granted service connection for residuals of a low back injury, attributing it to an in-service jeep accident.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, effective from May 4, 1999.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus at L4 to L5, post-laminectomy and fusion, results in severe disability but does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The VA granted a 10 percent evaluation for degenerative disc disease, L5-S1 prior to February 25, 1999 and a 20 percent evaluation from that date onwards.

The Board found that the veteran's back disorder is not related to her spinal tap performed in service, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain is rated at 40 percent, and his epidermophytosis of the feet remains at 10 percent. The claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied.