Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2005

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease. The RO granted service connection for multiple foot disorders, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, and chronic gastritis, but did not address whether these conditions alone render the veteran unemployable.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine based on new and material evidence. The right knee disorder and back injury claims are being remanded to the RO for further development, while the left ankle sprain rating remains unchanged.

The veteran's hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable, and the claim for increased rating was denied. The lumbosacral strain disability remains at its current 20% evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied for lichen planus, periodontal disease, and degenerative joint disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine as being due to undiagnosed illness. The claim for fibromyalgia was granted.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected low back disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, as it did not result in muscle spasm on extreme forward bending, moderate limitation of motion, or other functional impairment sufficient to warrant an increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability. The issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia of the left knee is addressed in the Remand portion of this decision.

The veteran's skin graft, left lateral arm, numbness musculocutaneous nerve distribution and lumbosacral strain have been rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted for either condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there is no evidence of such a condition during his active duty and no continuity of symptoms post-service. The first competent medical evidence of arthritis at the L5-S1 level was dated more than 15 years after his discharge from active military duty.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal for a higher rating for his lumbosacral spine.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD was granted, with the effective date set at October 29, 1999. The rating for lumbosacral strain remains unchanged.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The veteran withdrew his appeal before a decision was made.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability related to service and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected low back disorder is being remanded due to the need for a more current VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical spine and low back disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional loss or other factors.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied, and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, low back, and bilateral knee disabilities have not been met due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the veteran's low back disability is related to service. The claim will be remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed spinal cord injury, Brown-Squard syndrome, and brain stem injury did not have its onset during service or are otherwise unrelated to any disease, injury, or event in service. The other conditions were also found to be unrelated to service.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain is being remanded to the RO for further development, including a VA examination.