Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's cervical spine disability and service connection for left knee arthritis post arthroplasty, right knee degenerative arthritis, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the appellant's lumbosacral spine intervertebral disc syndrome with strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded claims for tinnitus and thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 31, 2023, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for low back disability, as well as entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s), due to a need for further development.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to ongoing deficiencies in VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating for right knee disability and entitlement to TDIU due to insufficient evidence regarding flare-ups of the right knee.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with DDD other than IVDS, IVDS, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis status post discectomy to obtain private medical records.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, and low back disorders as they are related to his active-duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU, finding that his disabilities did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent, but not in excess thereof, prior to April 9, 2012 for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and denied evaluations in excess of 20 percent from that date. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis were also denied.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to make a final attempt to obtain non-VA medical records.

The Board remands the issues for additional development as the agency of original jurisdiction did not comply with prior remand directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, finding that it clearly and unmistakably preexisted service and was not aggravated by service.

The Board granted a separate 30 percent rating for balance problems associated with lumbar spine disability and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), while denying an earlier effective date and a higher rating for the lumbar spine disability.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of service connection for PTSD and erectile dysfunction, dismissed the claim for dyshidrotic eczema and tinea pedis, and granted service connection for various other conditions including lumbar degenerative arthritis with IVDS, right and left lower extremity radiculopathies, right and left knee degenerative arthritis, chronic rhinitis, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability was granted a 40 percent evaluation, but no higher, for the entire period on appeal.

The Board granted and denied various ratings for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a 10 percent rating for left knee disability with recurrent lateral instability, a 20 percent rating for cervical spine disability from July 20, 2017, to September 18, 2022, and a 30 percent rating from September 19, 2022. The Board also granted ratings of 20 percent or less for the Veteran's upper and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for residuals from a right inguinal hernia, to include a surgical scar, and a low back disability. The claims for service connection for bilateral knee and heart disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for increased ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's GERD to include gastric ulcer is granted a 20 percent rating, while other claims for service connection and an initial compensable rating for sinusitis are denied.