Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a skin impairment of the hands and feet, low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right hip disability due to inadequate medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 50 percent rating, while the claims for increased ratings for major depressive disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder, allergic rhinitis, lumbosacral strain, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome were denied. A separate 10 percent rating was granted from June 17, 2020, for slight left knee instability, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hip condition, headaches/migraines, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but denied service connection for a left knee condition. The issues of service connection for cervical strain, bilateral foot condition, rating in excess of 30 percent for generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder. The other claims were remanded.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of October 2, 2015 for the grant of service connection for lumbar sprain and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to good cause shown for the Veteran's failure to file a Notice of Disagreement within one year of the initial denial.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar strain and tinnitus disabilities, dismissed the appeal for depression, and denied the claim for a left eye condition. The Board also granted service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, neck disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, left leg shin splints, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right pinky finger disability, hypertension, tuberculosis, and GERD. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board granted restoration of service connection for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Lumbar Spine Degenerative Disc Disease, finding that the severance of these conditions was improper.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis.

The Board granted increased ratings of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain and 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve. The claim for service connection for right knee strain was remanded.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for an unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol dependence, and service connection for a low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability due to pre-decisional errors of the duty to assist.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and cervical spine disorder, finding no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine condition, including secondary to a service-connected left knee disability, for further development and an adequate VA medical examination.

The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disorder to obtain an addendum opinion that adequately considers the Veteran's medical history and evidence of record.

The Board granted the restoration of service connection for left shoulder benign scapulothoracic crepitus and remanded other issues for further consideration.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding the propriety of proposed reductions in evaluations for lumbosacral strain and rhinitis, as well as denied a compensable rating for sinusitis.

The Board granted service connection for left and right sciatica radicular pain, a disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, and remanded the claim for a higher rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA medical opinion to determine whether the Veteran's pre-existing back condition was clearly and unmistakably aggravated by service.

The appeal was dismissed due to the lack of a timely appeal for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, making the December 2023 rating decision final.