Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for readjudication due to new evidence received after the July 2017 denial.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that a current back disorder is related to his military service.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and spinal stenosis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and initial ratings due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc disease, lumbar spine and glenohumeral joint dislocation, intraosseous nodule of the base of the humeral head/upper humeral metaphysis and degenerative changes, left shoulder to schedule a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection were dismissed due to a procedural error in the filing of his claims.

The Board dismissed various duty to assist errors during higher-level review relating to the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, GERD, and a back disorder.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection and a higher initial rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with osteoarthritis and spondylosis.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn and dismissed by the Veteran's representative prior to the requested hearing, as the Veteran was satisfied with his current ratings.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for thoracolumbar arthritis and strain, a skin condition, and a gynecological condition due to inadequate VA examinations or missing information.

The Board granted service connection for GERD, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor. The remaining claims are remanded.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar strain and degenerative arthritis to allow for a de novo review by the AOJ, as new and relevant evidence has been submitted.

The Board denied increased ratings for irritable bowel syndrome, neurogenic bladder, and sensory neuropathy of the lower extremities but granted a separate 20 percent rating for sciatic radiculopathy. The claims for service connection for asthma, glaucoma, and hypertension were also denied.

The Board remands the claims for a recurrent skin disability, sleep disability, respiratory disability, esophageal disability, left ankle disability, gastrointestinal disability, hypertension, and lumbar spine disability to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.

The Board denied a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain, and a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spine disability. However, service connection was granted for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity as secondary to the low back disability.

The Board remands the matter to allow for a determination on whether new and material evidence was received within one year of the July 2018 rating decision, which could affect the effective date of the increased disability rating.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to untimely filings or lack of jurisdiction.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for a cervical scar and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for a cervical spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or service connection.