Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings to ensure that all relevant evidence is considered, including new VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for the lumbar surgical scar and remanded the increased rating claim for a lumbar spine disability, citing insufficient evidence to determine the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion that considers the Veteran's lay reports of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board denied service connection for left knee condition, right knee degenerative arthritis, and low back pain as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The appeal of the proposed action to reduce the disability ratings for neck strain with degenerative disc disease and cervical spondylosis, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy are dismissed as a matter of law.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis and lumbar DDD/spondylosis, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the remaining claims for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and back disabilities due to a need for VA examinations to determine their nature and etiology, particularly in relation to the Veteran's service-connected ingrown toenail disability.

The Board denied increased ratings for postural vertigo, lumbosacral strain with DDD and degenerative changes, eczematous dermatitis of the hands and intermittent axillary eruption, and service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board remands the claim for a higher rating for lumbar spinal stenosis to obtain an addendum opinion considering the impact of pain medications on the Veteran's back symptoms.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection, thus the Board has no jurisdiction to review these claims.

The Veteran was granted a separate initial evaluation of 20 percent for right knee instability from January 29, 2019 to March 5, 2025. The other claims were remanded.

The veteran withdrew the appeal regarding all claims for service connection, and the Board dismissed these claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and a psychiatric disorder to schedule VA examinations.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders to obtain additional evidence and a medical examination.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of November 20, 2020, for the award of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with psoriatic arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board remands all service connection claims for further development, specifically to provide the veteran with adequate VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right shoulder disorder, a lumbar spine disorder, a left knee disorder, a right knee disorder, a left ankle disorder, and a right ankle disorder.

The Board granted service connection for dermatitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, left knee disorder, left ankle disorder, and lumbar spine disorder. The initial ratings for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and shin splints of the left lower extremity were denied.