Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, and thus denied his claim for an increased rating.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected postoperative lumbar laminectomy is being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a new examination.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a bilateral ankle condition or back disorder, and the veteran's gastroenteritis was not shown to be related to service. As such, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate examination and missing private medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his lumbar strain, finding that the evidence did not support an increase in disability beyond what was already assigned.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a back disorder and denied the claim for service connection. For schizophrenia, the Board noted that the veteran's disability picture more nearly approximates total occupational and social impairment with symptoms such as grossly inappropriate behavior, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, disorientation to time or place, memory loss, and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score of 30. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for schizophrenia was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar spine myalgia warrants a rating of 60 percent, effective January 21, 1999.

The Board found that the veteran's current degenerative disease of the lumbosacral spine is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the claim must be remanded for further development, including consideration of new spine disability rating criteria and a C&P examination to assess the current extent of the veteran's service-connected low back disability under both old and new regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a back disorder, finding no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The current back disorder was not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for chronic low back strain with bilateral spondylosis, finding that the new evidence submitted since the last denial was not material and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability warrants a 40 percent rating, effective December 17, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder is not related to his time in military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for service connection of his back disorder, finding no medical evidence that it is related to his right ankle disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, deciding that it was not granted.

The VA determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied an increased rating for the service-connected degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, with recurrent right sciatica, arachnoiditis, excision of scar tissue and nerve root compression at L4, L5 on the left.

The veteran's appeal to receive an earlier effective date for service connection of degenerative disc disease was denied as the timely Substantive Appeal was not received within the required time frame.

The Board granted an increased rating to 40 percent for lumbosacral strain from March 1, 1997 to September 25, 2003.