Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's low back disability effective from January 15, 1994. The earlier period prior to this date was rated as 20 percent.

The veteran's claim for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied because there is no evidence that the injury sustained during his VA hospitalization resulted in additional disability from his pre-existing lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of arthritis due to back injury. However, it found no new and material evidence to support this claim or any other issues raised in the appeal.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current low back disorder to his period of active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and remanded his claims for service connection for left knee disability and increased rating for right knee disability due to new evidence. The RO is instructed to obtain VA medical records, schedule examinations, and review the file for any relevant medical opinions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the previous denial in 1970. The claim is now considered on its merits.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain does not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 20% evaluation.

The veteran's post-traumatic low back dysfunction is rated at 60% and found to be permanently disabling, allowing for non-service connected pension benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected dorsolumbar paravertebral myositis, with posterior disc bulge at L4-5, warrants a disability rating of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for left knee pain, lumbar arthralgia (back pain), and plantar wart are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability does not warrant a higher rating, and his back condition is currently rated appropriately.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for his compression fracture at T12 and medial meniscal tear with entrapment and chronic anterior cruciate rupture of the right knee, finding that the evidence does not support higher evaluations under applicable rating criteria.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for a low back condition as there was no medical evidence showing a current disability, and the appellant failed to provide sufficient evidence of a link between his military service and the claimed condition.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not file an adequate substantive appeal regarding his claims for service connection and nonservice-connected pension purposes. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical records and to consider additional functional loss caused by pain in rating the veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected postoperative right and left ankle disorders, as well as his chronic low back disorder, have been granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for back disability, respiratory disability, and residuals of sunburn due to lack of a well-grounded claim for back disability and because the substantive appeals were untimely filed.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disorder and a low back disorder, finding that the veteran's current conditions did not have origins during active service.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's low back injury with fractures and laminectomy, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's scoliosis of the lumbar and thoracic spine was incurred during active service, and her claim for cervical disc disease with osteophytes is well grounded. Service connection is granted for both conditions.