Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for a lumbosacral strain, effective from the date of the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for additional development.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to the agency of original jurisdiction for an examination and further development.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran not timely filing a Notice of Disagreement.

The Board granted an effective date of October 3, 2019 for the award of service connection for lumbosacral strain, right knee strain, and left knee strain. However, it denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for these conditions.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and entitlement to TDIU due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the September 2021 examinations.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied service connection for a left elbow condition and remanded claims for back and neck conditions.

The Board remands the claim for a rating higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine with a left-sided L5-S1 herniated disc and post-operative lumbar spine degenerative joint disease to correct a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability and thoracolumbar disability, as well as entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C. §1318, for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings, TDIU, and service connection for various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, stroke residuals, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and a seizure disorder.

The Board remands the claims for further development and readjudication.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back disability, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension, degenerative disease of the cervical spine (claimed as neck pain), and lumbosacral strain (claimed as lower back injury) to obtain additional evidence and an adequate medical opinion.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, and chronic fatigue syndrome to obtain additional evidence.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and denied an initial compensable disability rating for tinea pedis of the right foot.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations to the AOJ for additional development due to a need for clarification regarding earned income since July 2017 and constructive possession of highly relevant treatment records.

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease s/p lumbar fusion and meniscectomy has been withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Board granted service connection for COPD and low back disability, but dismissed the claims for right and left knee disabilities. The decision also denied an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus and a higher rating for coronary artery disease.