Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2002

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and back disorder, both secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disorder. The original disability rating for residuals of an injury to the left knee with lateral meniscus tear was granted at 20%, but the effective date for this benefit is still pending.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability but denied his claims for a compensable evaluation for hearing loss and TDIU due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability, finding no competent medical evidence linking any current back disability to an injury or disease in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, with herniation and right radiculopathy, warrants a 60% rating. The PTSD issue remains in appellate status as it does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 70%.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder. The case is now remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 16, 1998, for a grant of service connection for arthralgia of the lumbosacral spine with scoliosis. The decision stated that the effective date was November 10, 1998, as it was the date of receipt of his reopened claim.

The veteran has an employment handicap and meets the criteria for basic entitlement to vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31, Title 38, United States Code.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The veteran's death was attributed to a cerebrovascular accident due to cerebrovascular disease, with coronary artery disease as a significant contributing factor. The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of death, finding that stress from his service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease does not warrant a disability rating greater than 40 percent.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for residuals of myxopapillary ependymoma with back and lower extremity symptoms, finding that the current 30 percent rating adequately reflects the veteran's disability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a hip condition and an increased disability evaluation for his lumbar spine discogenic disease. The evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 60 percent, the maximum available rating under Diagnostic Code 5293 for pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome. The other conditions are not granted as service connected.

The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and thoracolumbar strain with myositis.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected spina bifida occulta with injury to the lumbosacral spine, which is the highest rating available under applicable rating codes.

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

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the earliest date of entitlement was May 14, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his low back disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation based on moderate limitation of motion and no more severe conditions.