Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

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

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for loss of sense of smell, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder were not well-grounded due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The veteran's appeal to reopen his claim for service connection of a low back disability has been dismissed due to the death of the veteran.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder due to new and material evidence. However, the claim remains denied as there is no medical evidence showing a causal relationship between the current back disorder and service.

The Board found that the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability was not well-grounded due to lack of evidence linking his current condition to an in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and lumbar spine disability, finding that the veteran's current conditions are not related to her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and lymphedema of the left leg, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current 10 percent ratings.

The Board has denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings of his chronic lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, but granted a compensable rating for postoperative residuals of a ganglion cyst in the right wrist.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is not well grounded.,For the period prior to March 29, 1997, his cervical spine disability was evaluated at 20 percent. From that date onwards, it has been rated at 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and residuals of ruptured right ear drum. The appeals on whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for left ear hearing loss and cervical spine disorder were dismissed due to lack of timely substantive appeal.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine and granted a 20 percent rating for his low back strain. The evidence submitted since the last final denial is considered new and material, suggesting that the veteran's current condition may be related to his period of service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability as his claim was not well-grounded due to lack of competent medical evidence linking any current back disability to an incident of service or post-service symptomatology.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an original evaluation greater than 10 percent for a low back disability, service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities, and service connection for gastroenteritis. The evidence did not support ratings higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain VA outpatient treatment reports from January 1969 and records from Social Security Administration. The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder will be reconsidered based on new evidence.

The Board found that there is no current, competent diagnosis of PTSD related to an in-service stressor. Therefore, the claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as not well grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to lack of evidence supporting his claims.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's gunshot wound residuals and remanded the issue of a higher PTSD disability rating.

The Board found that the reduction in compensation benefits due to the appellant's incarceration was proper.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit competent evidence of plausible claims for service connection for her claimed conditions.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 16, 1986 for the assignment of a 10% disability rating for lumbosacral strain.