Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for low back pain and migraines, effective October 1, 2019. The claim for sciatic nerve pain was remanded.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board remands the claims for higher initial and increased ratings for five service-connected disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as the Veteran was not properly notified of VA examinations.

The Board granted restoration of a 50 percent rating for TMJ disorder and denied a higher rating, while also granting an initial 40 percent rating for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and denying a higher rating.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the thoracolumbar spine disability and an effective date of November 15, 2011, for the grants of service connection for radiculopathy of both lower extremities. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board remands the service connection claim for lumbosacral strain to obtain a more adequate medical opinion regarding whether it has been aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine condition, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or that the current disability is related to service.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, left elbow pain as secondary to a service-connected condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The increased rating claim for the left wrist was denied.

The Board remands the claim for further development to determine if the Veteran is entitled to special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ or extremity, and to consider additional functional impairments in relation to the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected low back disability and sciatic radiculopathy in both lower extremities, as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the applicable criteria.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for tension headaches, right knee strain, left knee strain, right shoulder strain, left shoulder strain, and lumbosacral strain with IVDS due to deficiencies in the duty to assist and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and colon polyps but granted service connection for a low back disability. The claim for hemorrhoids was remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for low back injury, denied service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, and denied a higher disability rating for PTSD. The claim for service connection for pain of left shoulder was remanded.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and a compensable disability rating for tension/common headaches.

The Board awarded an effective date of March 8, 2021 for migraine headaches and a rating of 10 percent for service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI), but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's major depressive disorder, lumbosacral strain, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, chronic right ankle instability, and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for service connection for sleep apnea and gastrointestinal disorder were remanded.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and PTSD, as well as a TDIU rating due to his service-connected PTSD.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to initial increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis was dismissed due to a procedural defect regarding concurrent elections.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, as the evidence supports that it began in service and has continued since then.

The Board denied a rating greater than 10 percent for allergic rhinitis and remanded claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and obstructive sleep apnea.