Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a left shoulder disability, currently diagnosed as left shoulder strain and dislocation. The other claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for hypothyroidism, insomnia, and a lower back disability as the evidence did not support the presence of these conditions during or after active service. The claims for sinusitis and GERD were remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for right hip strain, left hip strain, and lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's knee and lumbosacral conditions but granted separate 30 percent ratings for right and left knee limited extension from June 1, 2023, to September 29, 2024.

The Board remands the claim for a higher initial rating for lumbosacral strain to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining private treatment records and an adequate VA examination.

The Board restored the 40 percent disability rating for the back disability and denied a higher rating.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a psychiatric disorder, ED, left wrist disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and thoracolumbar spine disorder, to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty (AD), active duty for training (ADT), and inactive duty for training (IDT) and to obtain additional evidence regarding the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability due to the lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis and no in-service injury or disease related to the back.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's low back condition, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome.

The claim to overturn the May 25, 2012 rating decision denying service connection for a low back disorder based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) was denied.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for a lumbar disorder and an effective date of April 11, 2018, for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), while denying other claims.

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

The Board granted service connection for right and left ankle, left knee, back, and tinnitus disabilities but denied service connection for a left Achilles tendon tear and right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, right hip disability, shin splints, upper respiratory infections, low back and cervical spine disabilities, as well as radiculopathy and sciatica in the lower extremities. The only positive decision was a 10 percent rating granted for eustachian tube dysfunction with vertigo.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to January 15, 2020, excluding periods of convalescence.

The Board remands the matter for further evidentiary development to obtain a retrospective VA medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected low back strain with traumatic arthritis of the sacroiliac joints prior to October 8, 2015.

The Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability for the entire period on appeal, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome with arthritis, left hand condition, and PTSD to obtain additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to ensure compliance with its prior remand instructions.

The Board remands the claims for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to determine the etiology of the Veteran's back, left hip, right knee, glaucoma, and lung disorders.