Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for low back disability prior to July 30, 2020, due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the Veteran's death before a decision was promulgated.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen and readjudicate claims for severance of service connection for PTSD, muscle and joint pain in the left shoulder, lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, restless leg syndrome of the right lower extremity, and restless leg syndrome of the left lower extremity effective November 1, 2021.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of all extremities, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, but denied earlier effective dates for bilateral hearing loss and surgical scar of the low back, midline. The Board also remanded claims for service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for her lumbar spine disability from August 29, 2018, to August 5, 2020, and TDIU effective May 18, 2019.

The Board granted an effective date of March 1, 2021, for the award of service connection for right knee disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, psychiatric disability, and lumbosacral disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a left ankle disability, and an initial compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae of the face. The claims for service connection for various other disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and various other conditions, including hypertension, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The decision also denied an effective date prior to January 12, 2023, for the award of service connection for hypertension and an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (ulnar nerve), left upper extremity.

The Board denied service connection for left leg radiculopathy, allergic rhinitis, and a higher rating for lumbosacral strain and painful motion from the left knee condition. The claims for sleep apnea and vertigo were remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to August 23, 2010 for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and bilateral hip disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease, finding that the evidence supports a causal relationship between the condition and an in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar strain with IVDS and degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, but remanded claims for increased ratings.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to the lumbosacral strain), right shoulder disability, obstructive sleep apnea (secondary to allergic rhinitis), and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left ankle, left heel, left leg shin splints, lumbar spine, right elbow, right heel, and right leg shin splints, as further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for PTSD and restored a 40 percent rating for degenerative disease of the lumbosacral spine, while denying increased ratings for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a cardiovascular disability and a lumbosacral spine disability on an accrued benefits basis, but denied service connection for a chronic fatigue disorder and a right ankle disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back condition and migraine headaches due to inadequate medical examinations and opinions.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis with cervical spine fusion and spinal stenosis, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left hip degenerative joint disease, and right hip degenerative joint disease, all as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The appeal for service connection for headaches was granted and subsequently dismissed, while the claims for respiratory insufficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rating increase, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine were denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, foot disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to the need for VA examinations.