Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar strain and scarring of the lungs as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran has these disabilities or had such during the period on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as there was no evidence to support higher ratings or a grant of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, a disability manifested by chest pains, and increased ratings for PTSD with associated depression, anxiety, and insomnia, lumbosacral strain, and migraines headaches.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability and peripheral neuropathies, due to an incomplete record of private treatment records.

The appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to address the current severity of the Veteran's spondylolisthesis and ensure compliance with previous Board instructions.

The Board denied service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic disability manifested by dizziness, and other claimed disabilities as there was no evidence of current diagnoses or nexus to service.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and remanded the issue of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound status.

The Board remands the claim for a back disability to address duty to assist errors, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and scheduling a new medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's current disability and his active military service.

The appeal for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement.

The appeal for service connection for a back condition, opioid addiction, special monthly compensation at the housebound rate, and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance was withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA, as well as the claim for a higher rating for his low back disability, were denied. However, the Board granted an effective date of December 30, 2009, but no earlier, for both TDIU and DEA.

The appeals for the proposed reduction of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain and the proposed later effective dates for his bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies were dismissed as the November 2024 rating decision was not a finalized decision that can be appealed.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to her service-connected disabilities, as the evidence demonstrated she was unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for a low back disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), and glaucoma.

The Board granted a 30 percent initial disability rating for the removal of the uterus due to cervical dysplasia and awarded special monthly compensation based on anatomical loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board granted the restoration of a 40 percent disability rating for degenerative disc disease, reversing an improper reduction.

The Board granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, headaches, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. It also dismissed the claims for higher ratings of reactive airway disease, allergic rhinitis, and PTSD, denied service connection for CFS and TBI, and granted a 30% rating for IBS.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability and right shoulder disability to obtain additional evidence, including verification of the Veteran's National Guard service periods and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and spinal stenosis based on the Veteran's in-service back injury and chronicity of symptoms.