Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to unavailable service treatment records and inadequate VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's major depressive disorder and an initial rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's headache disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, neck disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and right hand disorder due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and low back condition due to a need for further development of the evidence.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and lumbarization of S1, as well as service connection for right and/or left lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, and neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities. The claims for service connection for an eye condition, vertigo/dizziness, GERD/reflux, cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, right wrist degenerative joint disease, left wrist degenerative joint disease, right knee osteoarthritis, left knee degenerative joint disease, a right foot condition, a left foot condition, and a right achilles tendon/ankle condition were denied. The claims for service connection for hypertensive heart disease/high blood pressure, sinusitis, headaches, allergic rhinitis, and a skin condition were remanded.

The Board granted an increased rating of 40 percent for lumbar degenerative disc disease, but no higher.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy but denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, IVDS, and thoracic spondylosis. The claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, to include sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date prior to November 7, 2002, for service-connected spondylolisthesis and left lower extremity sciatica.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for increased evaluations of cervical fusion C1-T1 and ORIF C1-C2 with mild multilevel degenerative disc disease, and left lower extremity, common, superficial and deep peroneal nerves to include tibial and posterior tibial nerves (previously rated as sciatic nerve damage, left lower extremity (with atrophy of the calf)).

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, cervical radiculopathy of the left upper extremity as secondary to degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, bilateral spondylosis of the lumbar spine, and left and right shoulder trapezius muscle strain.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee and low back disabilities based on evidence showing that these conditions were incurred during his active duty service.

The Board granted restoration of a 20% rating for the left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy from September 9, 2021, and increased ratings to 40% for both the left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The lumbar spine disability was denied an increased staged rating.

The Board granted service connection for cervical and lumbar conditions, chronic migraines, MDD, and readjudicated the claims for hives, lung scarring, elbow, and ankle conditions as secondary to Valley Fever.

The Board remands the claim for a back disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's pre-existing back disorder was clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service.

The Board remands the case to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disorder, specifically addressing whether scoliosis and spina bifida occulta are congenital defects or diseases.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment prior to June 14, 2022.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his lumbar spine disability, which includes bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, effective January 1, 2017, and special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) for the same date.