Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence was in approximate equipoise regarding its onset during active service.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and insomnia disorder, but denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied an increased rating for major depressive disorder and remanded claims for service connection for bilateral foot, mid and low back, and right wrist disabilities due to new evidence being received.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder strain and remanded the claims for left knee disability and low back disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection and initial disability ratings for the veteran's psychiatric disorder, back disability, bilateral leg radiculopathy, right shoulder, right knee, left ankle, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, but denied service connection for a back disability and a respiratory disability.,The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's back or respiratory disabilities were related to his military service.,The Veteran was awarded service connection for IBS based on its association with his PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, left upper extremity neuropathy, and right upper extremity neuropathy as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or any incident therein.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, left upper extremity neuropathy, and right upper extremity neuropathy as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or any incident therein.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including back, neck, knee, upper and lower extremity neurological, kidney, bowel blockage, skin cancer, and hemorrhoids, due to missing records and inadequate development of evidence.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome to ensure that VA's responsibilities under the duty to assist are followed.

The appeal for service connection for a back disability was granted, while other issues were remanded. The Veteran's claim for chronic headaches was readjudicated favorably.

The Board granted a rating of 40 percent, but no higher, prior to March 31, 2021, for the Veteran's thoracolumbar strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, except for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) which was granted a 30 percent rating.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis for referral to the Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection were partially granted, with specific conditions receiving different effective dates.,The Veteran was awarded a total disability rating for PTSD starting October 28, 2020, and service connection for tinnitus, sinusitis, and migraine headaches starting April 1, 2022.

The Board remands the issue of a higher disability rating for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection awards, finding that the appropriate effective date was May 4, 1998, when he first filed a claim specifically for a back disability.

The Board granted an effective date prior to December 20, 2019, for a 40 percent rating for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity sciatica and left lower extremity sciatica. The claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinea pedis and remanded claims for increased rating and additional service connection.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for a thoracolumbar spine disability from September 9, 2024 and in excess of 40 percent thereafter due to an inadequate VA examination.