Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The appeal for service connection for lower back disability, right shoulder disability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the lumbosacral strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the lumbosacral strain.

The Board granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent for thoracolumbar strain, restored the 50 percent disability rating for bilateral pes planus, and restored basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and headaches, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active military service.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain and a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, effective January 29, 2024 to June 2, 2025.

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

The Board granted service connection for a left shoulder condition, thoracolumbar spine condition, and cervical spine condition as they are directly related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and thoracic spine strain as an adequate medical nexus opinion is not available.

The Board granted service connection for right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, lumbar spine herniated disc, and bilateral flat feet (pes planus) as secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected bilateral knee and ankle disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, denied an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea, and denied a compensable evaluation for a left knee scar. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cluster headaches, and increased ratings for the left knee, back, GERD, and TDIU were remanded.

The Board finds that the Veteran is in need of personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months due to an inability to complete ADLs such as bathing, dressing himself, and toileting.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), and chronic right wrist sprain were denied. The Board also granted an effective date of July 7, 2023 for the award of increased ratings.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, left shoulder strain, and right shoulder strain.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbosacral spine conditions but granted service connection for right hip and left hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right anterior superior iliac spine avulsion fracture.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability, bronchitis, and a right foot disability due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for patellofemoral pain syndrome and knee strain with knee joint osteoarthritis of the right knee, and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), degenerative disc disease (DDD), and lumbosacral strain due to errors in the duty to assist.

The Board granted restoration of the 20 percent rating for GERD with colon cancer, effective December 1, 2024, as it found no actual improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The appeal was dismissed as a matter of law due to the proposed reductions being reversed after a finding of clear and unmistakable error.

The Board granted service connection for chronic sinusitis, pain of left foot, pain of lumbar spine, and chronic fatigue syndrome. The claims for a respiratory disorder, restless leg syndrome, hypertension, and other conditions were remanded.