Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to duty to assist errors and the need for a medical examination under the PACT Act.

The Board remands the claim for a back disorder as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis due to conflicting medical opinions and an inadequate VA examination.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability and right hip disability to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board denied the claim to restore a 20 percent schedular rating for lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease and degenerative arthritis with kyphotic angulation, effective December 1, 2024.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back, right and left knee disabilities, generalized anxiety disorder, other specified depressive disorder, and somatic symptom disorder to obtain additional evidence.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent, prior to March 26, 2025, for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, left sciatic radicular pain, and headaches. It also granted an initial rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a rating of 30 percent for lipoma of the skin on the back of the head. The claims for increased ratings for right knee strain with shin splints and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were denied, as was the claim for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.

The appeal for service connection for heart disease was dismissed, and the claims for erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and COPD were denied. The claim for chronic hip pain was remanded.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, while remanding the claims for a lumbar spine condition, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hip disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher initial evaluation for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease, maintaining the ratings of 20 percent from May 4, 2021; and rated 10 percent from April 25, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric conditions. The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder with a 70% evaluation effective February 27, 2023, and increased the ratings for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis to 30 percent and residuals of foot injury to 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a low back, upper back, bilateral arm, and knee disability, as well as an eating disorder and stress disorder. However, the Board granted a 50 percent rating for depression.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, finding that the evidence does not support a direct link between the Veteran's in-service injury and his current low back disorder.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle Achilles tendonitis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with DDD, IVDS and spinal stenosis, and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy. The claim for right foot pes planus with plantar fasciitis was dismissed.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for mid thoracic mechanical strain, dorsal kyphosis, and lumbar scoliosis; service connection for left leg radiculopathy; service connection for right leg radiculopathy; and ratings in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome to afford the Veteran adequate examinations.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lower back condition, bilateral foot condition, and neurological condition as pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors were not addressed.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, bilateral foot disability, right foot fungal disability, kidney disability, and upper extremity muscle and nerve disabilities, as further development is needed.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and irregular heartbeat, granted a 40 percent initial rating for low back disability, and denied an increased rating for left knee disability. The Board also granted a 20 percent initial rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability of the lumbar and thoracic spine but denied service connection for a right leg injury, including right knee strain.

The Board remands the matter for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed chronic disability of the back, disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.