Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected. The claims for prostate disorder, kidney stones, and back disorder are not well-grounded as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to an incident of service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support service connection for the claimed disabilities, including arthritis of the right shoulder, low back, cervical spine, and both knees. The gout of the right foot was not shown to be related to military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a low back condition with left hip and leg sciatica, as well as diabetes mellitus. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and left hip piriformis syndrome, as well as an increased evaluation for adjustment disorder secondary to history of assault. The claims were found not well grounded.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The evidence shows that the veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his service-connected right knee disorder, causing him to favor his left leg and resulting in low back pain.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities were denied. The RO scheduled the veteran for VA examinations, but he failed to report without good cause.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is related to an injury during his period of active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board determined that the veteran's low back disorder with a herniated nucleus pulposus does not meet or approximate the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and chronic lumbar syndrome, as well as initial compensable evaluations for chondromalacia patella of both knees. The 10 percent evaluation based on multiple, noncompensable, service-connected disabilities was confirmed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability secondary to his right total knee arthroplasty and an increased evaluation for residuals of that surgery. The evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening the claim or for a higher rating.

The Board denied restoration of the 60 percent disability rating for the service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, denied an increased evaluation for bilateral tinnitus, and denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the low back, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, and degenerative joint disease of the left knee, secondary to a service-connected disability are well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back injury, and right leg injury are not well-grounded because there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to an incident of service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied increased ratings for headaches and lumbosacral strain, as well as a claim for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The veteran's claims were found not to meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased evaluation or assignment of a higher initial disability rating.

The Board has determined that a well-grounded claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine has been presented and has granted this claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and hearing loss, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for a back disability. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence linking the current hearing loss to service.

The veteran's disabilities, including a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, cervical spondylosis, degenerative arthritis of the knees, hemorrhoids, COPD, and glaucoma, meet the criteria for a combined rating of 70 percent. The veteran is therefore considered unemployable due to her disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back disorder with sciatic paresthetica, residuals of a mallet avulsion fracture of the left ring finger, and residuals of a fracture of the distal phalanx, right middle finger were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected low back pain with herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-5, currently rated as 20 percent disabling.