Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded several other claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions, including back, hip and knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for further development and re-adjudication, including obtaining private treatment records and a new VA opinion.

The Board remands the claim for a new medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's lower back disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for thoracolumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, service connection for a skin condition, and TDIU due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a neck disability, finding no evidence linking the conditions to active service or any in-service incidents.

The Board remands the appeal for additional development, including obtaining a corrective opinion and reviewing new evidence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, back disability, and related secondary conditions based on in-service injuries.

The Board denied various claims for increased ratings and effective dates, but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from September 7, 2021.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were caused by injuries sustained in the line of duty during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the awards of higher ratings and service connection were dismissed as they constituted impermissible, free-standing, earlier effective claims.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of multiple conditions, as the Veteran withdrew the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a retina disability, back disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, and bilateral hearing loss disability to correct errors in satisfying regulatory or statutory duties.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, lumbar spine disability, and lower extremity radiculopathy for further development.

The Board granted service connection for headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back condition and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for right hand carpal tunnel, left hand carpal tunnel, and a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, and lumbar strain (back condition). The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total individual disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of a 70 percent rating for PTSD, TDIU, DEA eligibility, and ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2021, for the assignment of a 50 percent evaluation for sinusitis, a 40 percent evaluation for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, and a 10 percent evaluation for left knee disability with instability (DC 5257). The claim for an earlier effective date than January 25, 2019, for the assignment of a 10 percent evaluation for left knee disability with limited flexion (DC 5260) was denied.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including flat foot, plantar fasciitis, left shoulder condition, back condition, bilateral wrist condition, sleep disorder, right shin splints, and bilateral knee condition.

The Veteran is granted eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his permanent and total service-connected disability affecting both lower extremities, which precludes locomotion without the aid of assistive devices.