Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's low back disability, but denied increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected back disability for the period prior to July 13, 2004, and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the same condition from that date. The Board also granted increased ratings of 60 percent each for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected back disability.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 29, 2015, for the award of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral/thoracic paraspinal lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim for a low back condition (claimed as back pain), to include lumbosacral strain, due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension. The claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and other conditions were denied or remanded.

The Board granted an effective date of September 12, 2017, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy associated with cervical spine degenerative disc disease and denied all other claims.

The Board denied service connection for contact dermatitis and tinnitus, but remanded claims for cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, and ED as secondary to other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain was granted a higher initial rating of 40 percent, effective December 17, 2021.

The Board granted service connection for a strained neck, to include cervical strain degenerative disc disease based on the evidence showing chronicity of symptoms and an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spinal stenosis, finding that these conditions had their onset during the Veteran's active duty.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back disability due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional development, including verification of periods of active duty and obtaining an addendum opinion.

The Board remands the appeal for separate ratings for right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bronchitis, hypertension, a low back condition, and proctalgia fugax. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right toe metatarsalgia was also denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and neck disorder to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine with arm and leg numbness, and a cervical spine/neck condition based on in-service acoustic trauma and exposure to high G-forces during fighter aviation.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an adequate medical examination and opinion.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder as there was no evidence of an in-service injury, disease or event and no evidence that the current disability is related to military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical and lumbar spine disability, to include as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, for further development.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation, and no nexus between the current disabilities and military service.

The Board remands the claim for a back disability to schedule a VA examination and obtain an opinion on its etiology.