Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's low back and left leg pain to his service or service-connected right BKA, thus denying the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's back and neck disabilities were not incurred in service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during his active duty. The claims are denied.

The Board denied service connection for PCT, low back disability, and neck disability on secondary basis due to lack of evidence supporting the claims.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and a back disability. The evidence now submitted shows that the veteran's pre-existing psychiatric condition was aggravated by his military service, while the claim for a back disability is not supported by new or material evidence.

The Board granted a 40% evaluation for spondylolisthesis of the lumbosacral spine and a 20% evaluation for recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder, effective April 6, 1995.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee, right knee, left hip, and low back disorders are all of service origin. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed right knee injury and dissatisfaction with the initial rating of 10% for low back strain. The veteran's current symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine are not well grounded, as there is no evidence showing a direct relationship to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and bilateral leg conditions, finding that these conditions are not related to his active service or any service-connected disability. The claim for an increased evaluation of the veteran's bilateral pes planus was also denied.

The Board found no competent evidence linking the veteran's current back disorders to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and a right leg disorder are not well grounded, and thus denied.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain with DDD and DJD was granted a 20 percent evaluation from July 8, 1997, to April 10, 2000.,A current evaluation in excess of 40 percent for the service-connected condition is not warranted.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease did not warrant a disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board found no current back disability and denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected osteochondroma of the left distal fibula and lumbosacrum, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation. The decision also noted that there was no indication that the osteochondroma had resulted in marked interference with employment.

The Board denied service connection for stenosis of the cervical spine and herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine as the claims were not well grounded due to lack of supporting medical evidence.

The veteran's claim for service connection for prostatitis is denied as there is no current evidence of a chronic disability.,There is no current evidence of a chronic sinusitis disability or symptomatology associated with the condition. The veteran does not meet the criteria for an increased evaluation under Diagnostic Code 6510.

The RO has denied a rating in excess of 20% for the veteran's residuals of a back injury. The case is being remanded to schedule a hearing before a Member of the Board at the RO.