Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2000

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, and low back disorder as secondary to the veteran's service-connected right knee disability.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability, hypertension, or a chronic eye disability in service. The veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities. The claim for service connection was not addressed, while the claims for increased ratings were both denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability, and thus grants secondary service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted an increased evaluation of the veteran's thoracolumbar strain from noncompensable to 20 percent. The claim for reopening his service connection claim for head injury residuals was also granted.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbar spine. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and conduct further examinations.

The Board has dismissed the claims for increased initial ratings for hiatal hernia and migraine headaches, as well as entitlement to service connection for injury to the right leg, exposure to asbestos, exposure to Chernobyl (ionizing radiation), and arthritis of the wrists and elbows due to a failure to timely file a substantive appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of current disability or a relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a thoracic (dorsal) back disorder and a rib disorder are denied as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 due to new and material evidence, but finds that the claim is not well-grounded.

The veteran's asthma is rated at 30 percent, arthritis of the thoracic and lumbar segments of his spine remains at 10 percent, and hemorrhoids are not compensable.

The Board finds that the veteran's current low back disability is likely related to an injury sustained during service, and grants service connection for a back disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensable disability ratings for her service-connected multiple epidermal inclusion cysts and recurrent mechanical low back pain, finding that there was insufficient evidence to rate these conditions properly due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled examinations.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded, as there was no evidence of a chronic respiratory disorder or sinusitis during active service and no competent medical evidence establishing a nexus between any of the disabilities at issue and his period of active service.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for residuals of a low back injury as no new and material evidence was submitted.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another or by reason of being housebound was denied due to his nonservice-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria for such benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic low back disability did not have its onset in service and is not related to any incident therein.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain (claimed as a back disability) secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee pain is not well grounded.

The veteran's service-connected dorsal-lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to September 8, 1999 and increased to 40 percent since then. The cervical spine disability was initially rated at 10 percent and later increased to 20 percent.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for low back and neck disorders due to lack of new and material evidence showing a relationship between these conditions and active service.