Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied the appeal, affirming the severance of service connection for various conditions due to clear and unmistakable errors in the prior decision.

The Board denied an initial compensable disability rating for migraine headaches and remanded several other claims, including those for service connection for various conditions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic cervical strain, to include degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis. The claim for service connection for chronic anemia and chronic kidney disease was remanded.

The Board restored the 100 percent rating for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the reduction was improper. The lumbosacral strain claim is remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar strain to obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing the Veteran's statements regarding etiology and considering the January 2021 MRI results.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions, including right and left ankle sprain, right and left knee strain with limitation of flexion and extension, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and a lumbar spine scar, with effective dates from February 21, 2019. The Board also granted increased ratings for right and left ankle sprain starting July 13, 2022.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including right and left knee, back, right and left lower extremity nerve, PTSD (now claimed as depression), gout, and obstructive sleep apnea, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back disability.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claims for re-adjudication due to new and relevant evidence being submitted, including private treatment records related to the claimed conditions.

The veteran has withdrawn the appeal for all service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arteriosclerotic heart disease and PTSD, preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board remands the case for additional development to address pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeals for service connection for right wrist, left wrist, and left knee disorders were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew them. Service connection was denied for cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disorders due to lack of evidence supporting a causal relationship between the current conditions and military service.

The Board granted a 10 percent initial rating for hypertension and denied higher ratings or service connection for the other conditions.

The Board granted restoration of the 30% rating for degenerative disc disease with residual pain, denied a rating greater than 30% for the cervical spine disability, and granted TDIU.

The Board granted a disability evaluation of 30 percent for the Veteran's headaches, but denied service connection for lumbar spine, right hip, and right lower extremity nerve disabilities. The claims for PTSD, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, tinnitus, and hearing loss were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, higher initial ratings, and a compensable rating for various conditions, finding no basis to grant any of these requests.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, lower back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and remanded the claim of service connection for migraine headaches.

The Board granted a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, but denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied initial disability ratings in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, and 30 percent for COPD with asthma. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were remanded.