Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2002

The Board found no competent medical evidence showing that the veteran's current low back disorder is related to his active military service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine does not result in loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet, thus his claim for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile with special adaptive equipment is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine with a compression fracture does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent under either the 'old' or 'new' criteria, and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the appellant's right knee disability and low back disability are related to service, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the claimant. The claims for service connection are therefore granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for lumbosacral strain, currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disorder, and thus the claim is granted. The merits of the claim will be reviewed on a de novo basis after additional development of the evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied reopening and granting service connection for the veteran's back injury, finding that new evidence did not establish a link to his military service.

The veteran withdrew his appeals of the September 1970, February 1994, and June 1997 rating decisions. He did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement with respect to the August 1999 decision.

The veteran's appeal for increased evaluations for his service-connected lumbar spine, left shoulder calcific tendonitis, and right knee disabilities has been granted. The highest evaluation available under the appropriate rating code (60 percent) is assigned for the lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and chronic sexually transmitted diseases (claimed as herpes and genital warts), finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, fatigue and multiple joint pain (arthralgia), and headaches are all found to be related to his military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his chronic lumbar sprain was granted effective from August 19, 2000. Service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine was also established retroactively to this date.

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU. The claim of service connection for hypertension is denied due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred in service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for PTSD, hypertension, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of PTSD or any link between the claimed conditions and active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition and a back condition, finding that the veteran's conditions were not caused by his service-connected right knee replacement.

The veteran's claim for increased rating and extraschedular rating for his low back disorder was denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to the low back disorder is also denied.

The case is being returned to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before a member of the Board.