Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for depression and assigned a 20 percent evaluation for cervical spine disability. The evaluations for thoracic and lumbar spine disabilities were also increased to 10 percent each.

The Board has granted service connection for left leg and low back disorders that are secondary to the veteran's service-connected pelvis disability. Service connection was denied for a cervical spine disorder with headaches.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and consideration of his claims regarding the propriety of his initial 10 percent rating for mechanical low back strain, and his service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension is well-grounded and granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as failure to establish a plausible or capable claim for PTSD and a neck/cervical spine condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to higher evaluations for his service-connected hearing loss, service connection for a low back disorder, and service connection for hypertension. The reasons given were that there was no medical evidence linking any current disabilities to the veteran's period of active service.

The veteran's low back disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence does not support a higher rating, and his claim for TDIU is also denied due to his ability to work.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the service-connected low back disability, including degenerative disc disease at L4-5. The claim of an initial compensable rating for pronator muscle syndrome of the right arm is also granted. No new ratings are granted for COPD or left ear hearing loss. Service connection for chronic disability resulting from asbestos exposure and chronic sinusitis is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected low back strain, avulsion fracture spinous process L-2 warrants a 40 percent evaluation effective from August 31, 1998. The case was previously rated at 10 percent prior to this date.

The veteran's low back disability is rated at 60 percent, effective from July 31, 1990. The Board also granted a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for back, neck, and left knee disabilities due to new evidence submitted since the final denial in October 1996. The Board finds that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability is not service-connected and his claim for an increased evaluation of his lumbar spine disability remains denied.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar spine disorder was incurred in service and granted service connection. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a seizure disorder based on VA treatment during January 1989 was denied as the single episode of seizure activity did not constitute an increase in severity of a preexisting condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection, finding that his disability did not warrant a higher rating than 20 percent. The claim of reopening the fallen arches and pes planus was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's mechanical low back pain syndrome with degenerative joint disease is no more than 40 percent disabling and therefore does not warrant an increased rating.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit competent evidence to show plausible claims for service connection for a right elbow disability, a right shoulder disability, a right ankle disability, a low back disability, and a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD is not well-grounded, and therefore denied. The other issues listed are also addressed but no rating assigned as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable or higher disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tarsal tunnel syndrome of the left foot and an increased rating for her lumbosacral strain with limited motion, finding no well-grounded claim presented. The effective date for the current disability ratings remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for a back condition is not well-grounded and therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back disorder due to lack of evidence of a current disability.