Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial increased rating for a left knee strain and a left ankle disability, as well as service connection claims for various conditions due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for headaches and a low back disorder to obtain additional evidence, including outstanding medical records and new VA opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and a compensable rating due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining relevant medical records and examinations.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the awards of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, denied an initial rating higher than 40 percent for the service-connected lumbar spine disability, granted a temporary total rating (100 percent) based on surgical treatment for the lumbar spine, denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, granted an earlier effective date of March 17, 2014, for service connection of scars status post lumbar spine surgery, denied an initial compensable disability rating for scars status post lumbar spine surgery, and granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need of regular aid and attendance prior to May 16, 2019.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to an incomplete search of the Veteran's service records and a failure to verify reported in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, low back, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety, depression, and mood disorder, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The Board also denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates, as well as remanded a claim for TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for six surgical scars and insomnia, as secondary to the service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain status post laminectomy. It also granted a 50% disability rating for the intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain status post laminectomy, effective July 31, 2017, and a TDIU due solely to this condition.

The Board dismissed claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and left knee strain, but granted a 40 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy from January 31, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition as there is no current diagnosis and the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the in-service injury and the current disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and radiculopathy, left lower extremity (claimed as bilateral radiculopathy in the legs) due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for persistent depressive disorder, and service connection for lumbosacral strain (back condition) and cervical strain (neck condition), to obtain additional evidence.

The Board denied service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease, cervical degenerative joint disease, and bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy as the probative evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, increased ratings, and other service connection issues.

The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent, but not higher, for the Veteran's thoracolumbar back condition and separate ratings of 20 percent for right leg radiculopathy, service connection for left knee strain as secondary to the service-connected right knee strain, and service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for nonspecific headaches, effective October 22, 2022, but denied service connection for left ankle sprain and remanded claims for chest pain and back disability.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the Veteran's left and right knee instability, as well as a 20% disability rating for erectile dysfunction. Other claims were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, a left knee disorder, a right knee disorder, a left foot disorder, a right foot disorder, a painful right ring finger scar, a neck disorder, a back disorder, and a right hand disorder based on the evidence showing these conditions are etiologically related to the Veteran's active duty service.