Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2003

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for her low back strain with degenerative joint disease at L4 to L5, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability as secondary to service-connected shell fragment wounds of the lower extremities and denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee. The appeal regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, headaches, and right ear hearing loss will be addressed separately.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder is as likely as not related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's right hip, left hip, and back disabilities as they were not shown to be incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board found that the reduction in the rating for the veteran's residuals of a low back injury to 20 percent was proper, and restoration of a 40% rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, and left hip do not warrant a rating in excess of their current evaluations.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of the service-connected degenerative disk disease of the thoracolumbar spine has been dismissed as no Substantive Appeal was filed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back condition. The issue will now be evaluated on its merits.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his period of active duty service or his service-connected inguinal hernia.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder and granted it, finding that new evidence submitted since the last final decision supports the claim.

The veteran's claims for service connection for leg cramps and low back pain were denied. The claims for reopening of the Meniere's disease and appendectomy residuals were also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability did not develop as a result of service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back condition warrants a 10 percent disability rating, effective January 1, 2003.

The Board finds that the veteran's arthritis of the low back and bilateral cataracts were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. The claim is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding no competent medical evidence to connect an inservice injury with his current condition.

The veteran's service connection for lumbosacral strain with disc disease was granted, and he is now receiving a 20% evaluation. The other claims were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back disability is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that there is no medical evidence linking the veteran's claimed conditions to his active service, ACDUTRA period, or to his service-connected leishmania. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's residuals of a lumbar spine injury, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury.