Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition, including degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board granted a 40% rating for right knee strain and an effective date of August 9, 2018, for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy. Other claims were denied or dismissed.

The Veteran was granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for his low back condition prior to November 12, 2020, and denied increased ratings for the other conditions.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, right hip arthritis, left hip arthritis, and left elbow arthritis as no new and relevant evidence was submitted between the April 2020 rating decision and the April 2021 rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for low back pain, right knee pain, and neck pain (cervical strain) but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for headaches was remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus as premature, while remanding the claim for a back condition due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for thoracic spine strain, lumbar spine strain, degenerative arthritis, and intervertebral disc syndrome to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for a rating higher than 10 percent for spondylosis and strain of the thoracolumbar spine with a herniated disc, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) to obtain additional evidence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep disturbances, mild spondylosis of the lumbar spine, and anxiety condition to ensure that VA's duty to assist is followed.

The Board denied service connection for traumatic brain injury, left shoulder condition, bilateral knee condition, and back condition as there was no evidence of a current disability at the time of the claim or during its pendency.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence was in approximate balance and VA shall afford the Veteran the benefit of the doubt.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, but granted an effective date of June 20, 2016, for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for service connection of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and VA had already granted service connection for this issue on October 03, 2024.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle degenerative arthritis and remanded the claims for a left knee condition, post traumatic residual pain and dysfunction of the right knee, low back condition, and right hamstring condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable as of December 28, 2012, but no earlier.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and TDIU due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board remands the appeal for further development, including verification of active duty service dates and retrieval of any additional military records.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and neck condition to obtain the Veteran's U.S. Navy Reserve records from October 2007 to January 2014.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression and allergic rhinitis. Service connection was denied for chronic sinusitis, CFS, respiratory condition, traumatic brain injury, skin condition on the left big toe, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension, stroke condition, migraine headaches, right knee strain, left knee strain, left shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral restless leg syndrome. An increased rating for left great toe scars was granted.