Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2002

The veteran's low back disability, including arthritis and a scar, is considered to be the result of injuries sustained during military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the last final denial in June 1980.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and military service.

The Board has granted the appellant's service connection claim for a low back disorder.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for back disability and granted a 10 percent rating. The veteran's headaches are rated as 10 percent disabling, but no compensable rating is assigned for his bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's service-connected low back and left knee disabilities were evaluated at the current levels, with no changes in evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disorder and back disorder are not related to his service-connected left knee disability, and thus denied claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, which is presumed to be of service origin based on medical opinions provided by his private physicians.

The VA determined that the veteran's chronic lumbosacral strain does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation than 40 percent.

The veteran's appeal is denied as the RO has not assigned an earlier effective date for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals found that the veteran's back disorder preexisted service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that an increased rating for the veteran's low back disability is not warranted due to inadequate medical evidence and the veteran's failure without good cause to report for a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability, while productive of pain at the extremes of motion and with some limitation in range of motion, did not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claims for lumbar osteoarthritis and status post right herniorrhaphy, and service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating. The current ratings for his postoperative residuals of a gunshot wound and muscle injury are deemed appropriate.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right knee disorder, generalized arthritis, low back pain, and residuals of fusion of the anterior portion of T-10 to T-11. The decision also denied his claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar strain, left ankle degenerative arthritis, and right ankle degenerative arthritis as they did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The thoracic strain with degenerative arthritis was evaluated at the maximum disability rating, while lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis received separate evaluations prior to May 10, 1999 and from that date onwards. Duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia did not meet criteria for a higher than 20 percent evaluation. Bilateral hearing loss was found to be noncompensable.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's right knee disorder and low back pain, both currently rated at 30 percent. The claim to reopen service connection for a left knee disorder secondary to his right knee disorder is also granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation, extension of benefits, and service connection for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.