Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and a right knee disorder, both secondary to his service-connected right thigh wound. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were directly related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The veteran's left ear hearing loss was aggravated by service and is now considered a disability. A current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine has been established, and it is as likely as not related to findings during his second period of active duty.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The veteran was granted a compensable rating for his retained foreign body of the left hand.

The veteran's service-connected fibromyositis of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, and there is no basis for a separate rating based on multiple noncompensable disabilities.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected low back syndrome, effective from March 2, 1995.

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

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and assigned a 30 percent rating for chronic bilateral maxillary sinusitis, effective from October 7, 1996.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a low back disorder are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's low back strain is rated at 40 percent, the highest available under Diagnostic Code 5295.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations of his service-connected right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and thoracic spine disorder are not well grounded. The preponderance of evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hemophilia, back disability, and left knee disability. The decision also noted that a new issue of entitlement to service connection for depression was referred to the RO&IC.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar spine disk disease and granted a 10 percent evaluation for bursitis of the left hip. The service connection claim for arthritis of the cervical spine, claimed as secondary to right knee disability, was found not well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for mechanical low back pain and degenerative joint disease of the left knee were not well-grounded, as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his period of active military service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's low back injury is rated at 20 percent since July 7, 1995 and remains at that level as of May 26, 1999.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's claimed upper and lower back conditions or skin condition, and thus denied service connection for these claims. The claim for soft-tissue sarcoma was also denied as there is no medical evidence of such a condition.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates were denied. The RO continued the maximum schedular evaluation for bilateral pes planus with shortening of the left lower extremity, but did not grant an increase in rating for lumbosacral strain or vitiligo dermatitis.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected post-operative residuals of herniated lumbar disc disease with spondylolisthesis, currently rated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a lumbar puncture and bilateral pes planus are not well-grounded. The current residuals of a lumbar puncture have not been demonstrated or diagnosed, and there is no evidence linking the veteran's current bilateral pes planus to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and bilateral foot disability are not well grounded.