Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability, thus denying the reopening of the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back strain disability warrants a 40 percent evaluation, which is higher than the current rating of 20 percent. The evidence supports this increased rating based on the severity of his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Board finds that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen any of the previously denied claims for service connection for diphtheria, a back disorder or a leg disorder.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder due to new evidence submitted since the final rating decisions. However, the merits of these claims are not decided as they involve a complex medical issue.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA rating schedule. The issues of service connection for gastrointestinal disorder, back disorder, and tinnitus are denied.

The veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability, diagnosed as rotator cuff insufficiency and chronic impingement syndrome of the left shoulder, was granted. The right knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent for postoperative residuals with degenerative arthritis.,Service connection for the left foot disability has been established, and it is currently rated at 10 percent. Service connection for the low back disability has also been established, with a rating of 20 percent. The veteran's gynecomastia condition was granted service connection, with a compensable rating of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than July 26, 1996 for increased compensation and a total disability evaluation due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of a back disorder due to service and denied the veteran's claim.

The veteran's claims for increased rating of bilateral pes planus and service connection for back disorder and bilateral thigh disorder were denied. The decision is based on the current evidence not meeting the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding no current diagnosis of such condition and ruling out any link to active duty.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the appellant's current low back, left shoulder, or left knee disorders to his military service. Therefore, the claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied service connection for an organic low back disorder and granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD. The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral defective hearing was also denied.

The veteran seeks service connection for various conditions, including a cardiovascular disorder (hypertension), cervical spine disorder, lumbosacral spine disorder, and lower thoracic kyphosis with osteoarthritis. The Board finds that additional development is required to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen his claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, concluding that the submitted evidence was insufficient to establish a relationship between his current low back disability and his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability but denied reopening of her claim for endometriosis. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and determine if a nexus exists between current low back disability and service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability due to new and material evidence presented since the previous denial. The case is remanded for further development, including medical examination.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lower and middle back disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bursitis, trochanteric bursa, of the left hip.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, claimed as back/spinal pain, is related to service and has granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current right shoulder or low back disabilities related to his active military service and thus denied both issues of entitlement to service connection.