Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for chronic right knee strain and a 10 percent rating for lumbosacral strain, effective from November 14, 1995.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition was not well-grounded due to lack of evidence showing aggravation during service. The claims for increased evaluations for right and left wrist disabilities remain pending.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected left knee injury with ACL repair and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine are being remanded due to the need for additional VA outpatient treatment records.

The Board dismissed a claim of entitlement to increased evaluation for service connected arthritis of the lumbosacral spine on the grounds that a timely substantive appeal had not been filed.

The Board found that the RO's March 1974 decision denying service connection for low back disorder was final, and denied the appellant's claim of CUE in this decision. The April 1988 TDIU denial is also considered final. The effective date for TDIU benefits is set at October 3, 1996.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his lumbosacral strain and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression are not supported by the evidence, as the current disability picture does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for low back and left knee disorders, as no such evidence was found in the provided information.

The Board denied the veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for a back disability and headaches due to exposure to hazardous materials, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left facial injury and back disability. The claim for residuals of a left facial injury is granted as it is at least as likely as not that the veteran's depressed left facial scar, residual of fracture of the left temporozygomatic bones, was incurred in service. However, the claim for back disability remains denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen this claim.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and did not address the claim of increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with radiculitis to the right hip as it was not raised in this appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral eye, left knee, and left clavicle disorders do not warrant increased ratings. The lumbar spine disorder is rated as 40 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions are not well grounded. The RO denied these claims in August 1991, and they remain denied as new evidence did not reopen them.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective date for the current 20% rating for cervical spine disability was set at September 14, 1996.

The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her lumbosacral strain was granted, with the effective date being June 2, 1997.,Prior to June 2, 1997, the veteran had a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings are not well grounded and have denied both his claim for an increased rating for chronic strain, lumbosacral sacroiliac coccygodynia and his claim for a compensable disability rating for malaria.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the appeal was dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals by the appellant. The claim for a chronic back disability remains pending.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for panic disorder and a non-increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded and denied them.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current low back disorder to his military service, and thus denied the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder and bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for a low back disorder and left hip disorder. The veteran is assigned a 10% rating for his headaches.