Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve and remanded the claim for degenerative joint and disc disease, lumbosacral strain; intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board granted an effective date of December 20, 2021, for the grant of service connection for right knee calcific tendinitis and lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, left ankle disability, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, and psychiatric disorder, due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to June 26, 2023.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder recurrent with psychotic features and remanded the claims for service connection for a low back disability, entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for right foot strain, and entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle strain with Achilles tendonitis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral knee disabilities as additional evidence needs to be obtained.

The Board granted service connection for an upper respiratory disability and denied increased ratings for PTSD, CFS, and other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and dismissed the claim for tinnitus as moot, while denying increased ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy and remanding several back and limb conditions for further evaluation.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and denied increased ratings for multiple conditions, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine arthritis with degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board also remanded service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and right ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and a back disability, but denied service connection for BPPV. The right lumbar radiculopathy was also granted as secondary to the back disability.

The Board granted service connection for sciatic radiculopathy of the RIGHT lower extremity as secondary to degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, increased the rating for PTSD from 50 percent to 70 percent from September 1, 2017 to July 8, 2019, granted TDIU effective January 1, 2014, and awarded SMC based on housebound status effective September 1, 2017.

The Board granted an effective date of July 13, 2020, for a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD but denied service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, right knee condition, and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, IBS, right ankle and left ankle disabilities, a right hip disability, and a low back disability. However, the Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, right knee strain, and left knee strain, as well as a 10% rating for left hip plasmacytoma limitation of extension.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for right sciatic radiculopathy and weakness of the right leg, but granted a TDIU from August 20, 2021, to June 7, 2022.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and an initial disability rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for the entire period on appeal, for right ankle tendonitis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy as new evidence has been submitted, while denying readjudication of the right knee and right lower extremity radiculopathy claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or illness and noting that a January 2024 VA examination indicated that the condition was less likely than not related to the veteran's active-duty service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a low back disability, and lipoma of the low back due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for chronic low back pain and remanded the claims for left and right hand injuries due to a lack of evidence supporting their service connection.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's back disability and restored the 40 percent rating, effective February 1, 2025. The Board also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.