Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied an increased rating for lumbosacral strain, granted the restoration of service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve effective June 8, 2023, and remanded claims for a higher rating for ileocolic intestinal resection and GERD, as well as right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hearing loss to obtain outstanding VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations.

The appeal for service connection and increased rating for sinusitis and sinus headaches was dismissed due to a prohibited concurrent election under the modernized review system. The claims for peripheral neuropathy, low back disability, and psychiatric disability were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatica as secondary to lumbosacral strain, and for lumbosacral strain. Service connection was denied for sinusitis. The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied.

The Board granted the Veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates, as well as a claim for secondary service connection for gastritis.

The Board denied service connection for liver and kidney disabilities but granted a 70 percent rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder prior to February 3, 2017, a 50 percent rating for a back disability, and a 20 percent rating for left sciatic radiculopathy from July 22, 2008.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, and GERD but granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Some issues related to other conditions were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. Several conditions were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for scoliosis and found that the reduction in the combined disability rating for bulging discs in the lumbar spine, lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and spondylosis from 40 percent to 10 percent was proper.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back pain and sciatic radiculopathy of both lower extremities to obtain a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a lumbar disability, and service connection for left ankle and right knee disabilities to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for total left hip replacement/avascular necrosis of the left hip, total right hip replacement/avascular necrosis of the right hip, status post lumbar laminectomy, and diabetes mellitus, type II, as new and relevant evidence has been received since the Veteran's RAMP opt-in on June 28, 2018.

The Board remands the claim for a higher rating for intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist by scheduling a new examination.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and a cervical spine disability, to include cervical degenerative arthritis, due to untimely filings.

The Board granted an August 10, 2022 effective date for the grant of service connection for hypothyroidism and denied increased ratings for tinnitus and a nonpainful and stable scar on the lumbar midline. Other claims were remanded.

The appeal for additional dependency compensation based on the May 13, 2021 Rating Decision's implementation of the Board decision was denied. However, recognition of M., L., and E. as dependents for purposes of additional dependency compensation was granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for major depressive disorder, among other issues. The decision also remanded several claims for further development.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and hemorrhoids, but denied service connection for a neck disability and a gastrointestinal disability.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, as additional evidence is needed.

The appeal for service connection for a low back condition was dismissed as it was not timely filed.