Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to evaluate the current level of severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and consider the Veteran's contentions regarding the severity, frequency, and duration of his flare-ups.

The Board remands the issues of whether the character of the appellant's discharge from active military service is a bar to VA benefits, and entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability for further development.

The Board granted service connection for low back disability and left hip disability, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left and right knee joint osteoarthritis.

The Board granted a rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's low back disability from January 8, 2009 to December 21, 2020.

The Board remands the matter for further development, including providing the Veteran an opportunity to provide documentation of time lost from work and related medical evidence.

The appeal was remanded for additional medical opinions on the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability and the etiology of his back disability, as well as to develop evidence related to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board remands the claim for a new medical opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's back disability, including whether it is related to active service or caused by or aggravated by the service-connected cervical spine condition.

The Board remands the issues of ratings in excess of 60 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, from April 8, 2024; in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, from October 17, 2013, to April 8, 2024; and special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. � 1114(s), based upon housebound status prior to October 17, 2013.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability as it finds that the March 2024 VA opinion is inadequate and requires a new medical opinion.

The Veteran was granted a 20 percent rating for her neck disability beginning April 27, 2018, and had some issues denied or remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, finding no evidence of entitlement to an earlier date than those assigned by the RO.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for readjudication of their claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, as no new and relevant evidence was submitted.

The Board remands the claim for a back condition to obtain an addendum opinion that specifically addresses the Veteran's contention regarding the onset of her disability during service.

The Board granted restoration of a 50 percent evaluation for bilateral pes planus and denied increased ratings for left knee arthritis, right knee strain, varicocele, lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. Erectile dysfunction was granted service connection.

The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2017 for the award of service connection for left elbow limitation of flexion and left cubital tunnel syndrome (CTS), but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for stress incontinence, vaginitis, bilateral plantar fasciitis, lumbosacral strain with mild levoscoliosis, anxiety disorder with TBI, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with patellar dislocation, and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for increased ratings were also dismissed. The Board remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board denied service connection for high cholesterol and arthritis, but remanded claims for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension due to potential toxic exposure.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee condition (claimed as meniscal tear with chondromalacia patellae) and remanded the claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, middle back, and lower back conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to outstanding records of private treatment and a lack of VA medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and denied increased ratings for PTSD, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and low back strain with IVDS.