Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent lumbosacral strain and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's conditions are likely due to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a broken right hand bone and low back injury to the spine and tailbone, as well as his claim for total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The RO previously denied these claims in September 1996 without reopening them.

The Board found that the discontinuance of vocational rehabilitation benefits was not proper, based on the veteran's ongoing need for training and his eligibility under Chapter 31.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability due to aggravation during active duty, but denied service connection for a low back disability and left hand injury residuals.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and a neck disability, finding that the veteran's current disabilities are related to an accident he experienced in August 1973 while on active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including right shoulder, back, bilateral foot, and right knee disabilities, were not incurred or aggravated by active duty, inactive duty for training, or active duty for training. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claims for tuberculosis, a right foot disorder, hearing loss, and a back disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbar disc disease does not warrant a rating higher than 40 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for more severe disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic low back disorder, a low back disability claimed as an undiagnosed illness, musculoskeletal symptoms to include finger numbness and shoulder and neck joint throbbing, and knee pain. The reasons were that there was no evidence of a chronic low back disorder during or after service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of lumbar strain, finding no evidence linking current symptoms to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbar myositis, L4-L5 herniated nucleus pulposus warrants a 60 percent evaluation, reflecting pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome with persistent symptoms compatible with sciatic neuropathy.

The Board denied the appellant's request for apportionment of her husband's nonservice-connected pension benefits, finding that she did not meet the criteria for dependency and that such apportionment would cause undue hardship to her estranged husband.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for back disability.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, effective from the date of the initial grant of service connection.

The Board found that the reduction of the veteran's evaluation for lumbosacral muscle strain with thoracic pain from 20% to noncompensable rating effective July 1, 2000 was appropriate.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar spine disability, characterized as disc disease, is moderate to severe but not pronounced in degree. The RO increased the evaluation assigned the veteran's lumbar spine disability to 40 percent. The Board denied a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted. The veteran's assertions were not considered sufficient to reopen the claim.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's low back disability, currently rated at 60 percent. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic acquired low back disorder in service or post-service, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including bilateral foot and ankle disorders, bilateral leg disorder (residuals of injury to the right leg), neck disorder, and low back disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The examiner determined that these conditions pre-existed service.