Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2001

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his thoracolumbar strain, finding that he did not have a right wrist disability or significant thoracolumbar strain.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability of the neck and/or low back incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor could arthritis of the low back be presumed to have been incurred in active service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals found no evidence of a low back disability during service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for chronic low back strain, internal hemorrhoids, and acne vulgaris of the face and sternum. The appeal was dismissed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for low back strain disorder and disc degenerative disease, lumbar spine have been granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of carcinoma of the prostate and low back strain, finding that there is no evidence to support a compensable rating or any increase in disability.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date of May 3, 1995 for the TDIU rating due to lack of evidence showing individual unemployability within one year prior to the June 1991 application.

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the appellant's current back disability.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder and a bilateral knee disorder, finding no current disability due to service or any related exposure.

The veteran's service-connected back disability results in the loss of use of both lower extremities such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of canes, meeting the criteria for specially adapted housing assistance.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render her unemployable on an ascertainable date prior to September 12, 1997 and denied the claim for an earlier effective date.

The veteran's service-connected back disorder did not cause or contribute to his death from urosepsis and CVA. The Board found that the underlying causes of death were vascular disease and dementia, which are unrelated to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic prostatitis, and lumbosacral strain with spina bifida are denied as there is no current medical evidence definitively establishing these conditions or linking them to active service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability due to new and material evidence submitted, but it remains undecided whether this claim should be granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the claimed temporomandibular joint disability, facial nerve damage, and psychiatric disability. Service connection was denied for a neck disability.

The Board has denied both the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic low back pain with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and for a compensable rating for a chronic left ankle sprain.

The VA has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the appellant's low back disability, effective from November 1, 1998.

The Board has granted a 60 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which is in line with his request. The claim will now be considered on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates of February 17, 1999 for a 60 percent rating for service-connected chronic low back strain with herniated nucleus pulposus and for a TDIU.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability is at least as likely as not related to an in-service motor vehicle accident, granting service connection for this condition.