Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The veteran's appeals for service connection for back disorder, neck disorder, and right shoulder disorder were denied. The appeal regarding the evaluation of a left ankle fracture was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation and temporary total ratings due to lack of treatment of a service-connected disability during his hospitalization.

The veteran's service-connected cervical spine disorder, chronic low back muscular strain with arthritis, and postoperative residuals of a ganglion cyst with synovitis of the left wrist are all rated at their maximum allowable evaluations. The veteran's headaches as residual of concussion remain rated at 10 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and determined that it is well-grounded. The claims for left ankle, right ankle, and lumbar spine disorders are also considered well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and those related to undiagnosed illnesses from service in the Southwest Asian theater, are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a diagnosis of any of these conditions or establish their relationship to service.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, including low back strain and lumbarization of S1. The decision concluded that there was no evidence showing disability as a result of the in-service back injury.

The Board determined that the November 1957 decision to sever service connection for post-traumatic hypertrophic arthritis of the lumbar spine and right knee did not involve clear and unmistakable error. The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding this issue.

The VA determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease at L4 to S1/pseudoarthrosis at L5 to S2/lumbo-dorsal scoliosis does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and a lower back disorder, finding that her claim was not well-grounded due to lack of medical evidence linking current disabilities to service.

The Board has granted increased disability ratings of 10 percent for the veteran's right knee disability and lumbosacral strain, effective March 16, 1998.

The Board denied the veteran's requests to reopen claims for service connection for lumbar arthritis, psychiatric disability, and defective vision in the right eye. The evidence submitted was deemed insufficient to meet the new and material criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and back conditions are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of a nexus between these conditions and an in-service disease or injury, nor can it be attributed to any service-connected condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability and found it well-grounded. The claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, as well as extensions of temporary total ratings based on postoperative residuals, have been granted. The effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder remains to be determined.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of back disability and is now considering whether new evidence supports a grant of service connection. The appellant's medical opinion linking his current back disability to an injury sustained in service is considered significant.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for depression, hypertension, heart disease, stomach disability, and back disability are not well-grounded.

The veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain and post-traumatic stress disorder are currently evaluated, but the multiple scars of the face and neck do not warrant a compensable evaluation. The veteran is denied an increased rating for his lumbosacral strain and a compensable evaluation for his facial scars. His claim for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was also denied as his disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted a 20% evaluation for lumbar strain and found that the veteran's service-connected chronic bilateral upper extremity disorder to include arm and hand numbness is not well-grounded.

The veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his service-connected post-operative fusion C5-6 with arthritis and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine from May 19, 1990 to October 7, 1993, were denied. The Board found that a rating higher than 40 percent was not warranted for his post-operative fusion C5-6 with arthritis and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and a rating higher than 20 percent was not warranted for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine from May 19, 1990 to October 7, 1993.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar spine stenosis and degenerative changes are not due to disease or injury incurred in service, nor caused by his service-connected right femur fracture residuals. The Board concluded that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim.