Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder was incurred during military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded, as there was no competent medical evidence linking his current conditions to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an increased rating for his schizophrenic reaction, but granted him a TDIU rating.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is not well-grounded because there is no medical evidence linking his current back disability to an incident of service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a low back disorder. The additional medical evidence supports the veteran's claim of in-service injury and current disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the current severity of the veteran's service-connected low back disorder and other disabilities. The RO will also consider whether vocational rehabilitation benefits have been pursued.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his service-connected conditions, including hypertension and right eye disability. The lumbosacral strain claim was partially granted with a 10 percent evaluation from August 30, 1996 to October 30, 1998, and a 40 percent evaluation thereafter.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and an increased evaluation for right shoulder scars. The effective date is set at October 31, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his back disability and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for aortic insufficiency with atrial fibrillation and hypertension, assigning a 60% evaluation effective from November 19, 1998. The veteran's low back disability is considered well grounded but the right ankle sprain claim is not. The initial evaluation of his heart condition was increased to 60%.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his current disabilities are not well-grounded. His initial compensable evaluations for scars on the chin and left ring finger following excision of a retinacular cyst were also denied.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted the veteran's TDIU claim with an effective date of August 29, 1990. The issues of service connection for PTSD and a higher initial rating are still pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back condition is at least as likely as not aggravated by his Reserve service, and thus finds it plausible enough to grant service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective March 25, 1993. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30% rating effective from March 12, 1997. The appellant's earlier claim seeking service connection for PTSD was not well-grounded due to the failure of proper notice regarding the July 1994 denial.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's skin disorder of hands and feet to his service, but reopened the claim for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The skin condition is not well-grounded as there is no medical evidence connecting it to service. The back issue remains unresolved due to lack of clear connection.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected chronic lumbar strain, currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the disability and determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for chronic lumbar strain is well grounded and the Board finds that her current low back disability may be related to injury or disease noted during her active service.

The veteran's arthritis of the right knee, left knee, and right shoulder are all service-connected.,Increased ratings for arthralgia of the right knee and left knee have been granted.