Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board denied entitlement to higher disability ratings for chronic sinusitis, low back disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy right upper extremity, and thoracolumbar spine scar. The Board also remanded service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder condition secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability, but remanded claims for cervical strain and lumbosacral strain due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran was granted a 100 percent disability rating for somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and major depressive episodes, effective May 6, 2021. The right ankle debridement of arthritis, post traumatic, was denied a higher rating, while service connection was granted for right knee pain but denied for low back pain and radiculopathy in the lower right extremity.

The Board remands the claim for a lumbosacral strain to schedule a new VA examination as the previous one was found inadequate.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right shoulder, back condition, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss to obtain additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disability but denied service connection for depression, hypertension, and diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for left leg arthritis, back disability, right knee and left knee disabilities but granted a 70 percent rating for the psychiatric disability from January 4, 2019.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lower back, upper back, balance issues, and traumatic brain injury due to a need for additional evidence.

The Board remands all issues on appeal for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination and private medical records.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the service connection of bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and a higher rating for low back disability but granted initial ratings of 40 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, except for granting an effective date of November 1, 2020 for TDIU and DEA benefits.

The Board granted revision of the December 2018 rating decision that reduced the disability rating for lumbar spine from 20 percent to 10 percent, effective December 4, 2018, based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The March 2015 rating decision that assigned a 10 percent rating for left shoulder disability was denied as it did not meet the criteria for CUE.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to lack of evidence supporting in-service incurrence or current diagnosis.

The Board remands the claims for further development and to ensure adequate VA examinations are conducted.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding the proposed reduction of the rating for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress and alcohol use disorder, as no reduction had occurred. The reductions in ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathies were proper, and a higher rating for lumbosacral strain was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a thoracolumbar spine disorder due to a lack of evidence demonstrating current disabilities under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, and no nexus between the claimed conditions and military service.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for right and left sciatic nerve impairments from January 26, 2017 to February 27, 2023.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, left ankle disability, tinnitus, and sciatic nerve impairment due to a lack of evidence supporting a direct relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back disability and right hip disability to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the rating decisions on appeal.