Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for a low back condition, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of specific error in the determination being appealed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment since December 13, 2010.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for the lumbar spine condition and a TDIU, but granted entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck disability and back disability to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, post laminectomy syndrome, and surgical fusion C5/6 and C6/7, as well as bilateral cervical radiculopathy of the upper extremities, secondary to these conditions.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for back, bilateral shoulder, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities due to outstanding records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities to correct an error by the RO in satisfying a regulatory duty.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with multilevel degenerative disc and facet disease, right leg radiculopathy, left leg radiculopathy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and assigned initial ratings of 20 percent for a left ankle strain, 30 percent for chronic sinusitis, and 30 percent for headaches.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding the propriety of severance of service connection for tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, and right shoulder strain as these issues were reinstated. The appeal for costochondritis was denied due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to active duty.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar scoliosis due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to address the Veteran's lay statements and provide an opinion on whether his lumbar spine condition is related to his active-duty service or his service-connected bilateral knee condition.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied it for bilateral hearing loss, a back disability, asthma, hypertension, bilateral pes planus, bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral elbow arthritis, erectile dysfunction, and kidney disease.

The Board granted service connection for multiple orthopedic disabilities related to injuries sustained while wrestling in service.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected tension headaches, finding that his symptoms nearly approximate a 10 percent rating. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis, claimed as a lower back condition, finding that the Veteran's current back condition was not caused by his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher disability ratings for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder strain, and right shoulder strain.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of June 14, 2019, for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy but denied it for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including hyperacusis, vertigo, chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia, psychiatric disorder, fatigue-related issues, and low back condition, to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for migraines, a low back disorder, a neck disorder, and bilateral shoulder disorders based on the Veteran's credible statements about chronic symptoms during active duty.