Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the appellant's low back disability, effective from the date of initial service connection.

The Board found no competent medical evidence of a duodenal ulcer, perforated left tympanic membrane, Bell's palsy, low back disability, or right C6-7 radiculopathy. Therefore, the veteran's claims for these conditions are not well grounded.

The veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for his spondylolisthesis L5 with lumbosacral strain is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and an increased rating, finding no competent medical evidence linking her current arthritis to military service or a pre-existing condition.

The Board found no evidence of a service connection for the low back disorder and denied the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disorder, diagnosed as herniated nucleus pulposus and lumbar fibromyositis, is not causally related to his active military service or an in-service injury.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's lumbosacral strain with arthritis, which is the highest schedular rating available under Diagnostic Codes 5292 and 5295.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the veteran's claims of service connection for low back and cervical spine disorders, resulting in a denial.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar spine disorder is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected pilonidal cystectomy, and denied all issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a nexus between any claimed disorders and his period of active duty service.

The veteran's combined non-service-connected disability rating is 60%, which does not meet the requirement for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's back disability was not caused by the VA-administered spinal anesthetic in December 1993, but rather related to his pre-existing prostate cancer and metastases. The treatment did not result in additional disability.

The Board found that the veteran's eligibility for flight training benefits under Chapter 31 was not established, as all costs and expenses of actual flight training were not approved by VA VR&C.

The Board dismissed the appeals of the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as well as her claim for a compensable disability evaluation for herpes simplex. The veteran withdrew her appeal regarding these issues.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and her Substantive Appeal. The veteran was granted a 70% disability rating for major depression, but not before November 21, 1996.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbar strain is under review. Additionally, the issue of whether he should be granted service connection for a secondary disability involving disc disease in his lumbosacral spine is also pending.

The Board has denied all service connection claims as not well grounded due to lack of competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability in May 1987 and found the claim of pulmonary disability, including bronchitis and influenza residuals, not well grounded. The veteran's request to reopen the low back disability claim was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for right heel pain and low back disorder were not well-grounded, as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.