Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted the restoration of a 40 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain with mild degenerative disc disease, as the reduction was not proper.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability as the evidence did not support a finding that it began during active service or was otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to an error by the AOJ in satisfying a regulatory duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an initial compensable rating for various disabilities, as well as remanded a claim for service connection for a left foot disability.

The Board remands the claims for a low back disability and bilateral hearing loss to correct duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining additional private medical records and providing new VA opinions.

The Board remands the claim for an adequate VA examination and opinion, as well as to obtain private treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine arthritis with pain, and radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities secondary to degenerative disc disease.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all service connection claims.

The Board granted service connection for headaches, left hip condition, right hip condition, lower back condition, right shoulder condition, and bilateral shin splints. The TBI claim was denied.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis and an initial compensable rating of 10 percent but no higher for left foot hallux limitus.

The appeal was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement within one year after notification of the May 2022 and September 2023 rating decisions.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, but denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and a right foot strain. The headaches claim was remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for TBI, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and cervical degenerative disc and joint disease (claimed as cervical strain) to correct an AOJ error in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty.

The appeal for service connection for low back pain due to an underlying herbicide agent related condition was dismissed because there were no pending claims at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for sinusitis and remanded the claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability but denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but remanded the claims for higher ratings for low back strain and TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, a left foot disability, major depressive disorder, and secondary disabilities related to the left foot. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board denied increased ratings for kidney calculus and lumbosacral strain with IVDS, but granted initial 20% ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy. Service connection was granted for carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and obstructive sleep apnea, denied a higher rating for PTSD, and granted a 30 percent rating for urethral stricture.