Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for anxiety, depression, headaches, a neck disorder, an upper back disorder, a lower back disorder, and a left arm disorder as there was no evidence of current disabilities during the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability as the evidence did not support a finding that it began during active service or was related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left upper extremity radiculopathy and cervical spinal stenosis with degenerative disc disease, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for DDD and IVDS, acquired psychiatric disorder (MDD), diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities secondary to diabetes. The Board also denied an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from April 29, 2014 to December 4, 2024, but granted a TDIU effective August 10, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a back disability, and a right shoulder disability to provide additional medical opinions.

The Board denied increased ratings for the neck, left wrist ganglion cyst, and left wrist scar; granted increased ratings for the bilateral CTS and hypertension for part of the periods of appeal; and remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral CTS with radiculopathy from June 20, 2022, and entitlement to a TDIU prior to June 20, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spine, bilateral trochanteric pain syndrome, and a gastrointestinal disability, to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 40 percent prior to January 23, 2017, for the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine vertebral fracture with DDD, degenerative arthritis, and spinal fusion, as well as radiculopathy in both lower extremities.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition and a TDIU, while denying service connection for a low back condition and certain ratings for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his active service.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral ankle vein insufficiency condition, a bilateral calf vein insufficiency condition, and a back condition as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar arachnoiditis based on the Veteran's credible report of an in-service motor vehicle accident and the opinion from his treating VA neurologist.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to January 31, 2011, as his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity and a separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected cervical spine disability, as the evidence did not support moderate incomplete paralysis or any other higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral condition, including lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and scoliosis, based on the evidence showing that these conditions began during the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including degenerative diseases of the cervical and lumbar spine, radiculopathies affecting various extremities, OSA, hepatic steatosis, and supraventricular arrhythmia.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a neck condition, to include degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, cervical lordosis, and bone atrophy, as secondary to degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, due to duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, dry eye syndrome, low back disability, right hand disabilities, and right knee disability. The tinnitus claim was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded claims for multiple other disabilities, including left and right ankle, CTS, IBS, knee, shoulder, sleep apnea, and back conditions.