Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for a headache disability and a lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence does not support the presence of these conditions during or shortly after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal to restore a 60 percent rating for their service-connected back disability, finding that the change in diagnostic codes and the assignment of separate ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy represented an overall increase in benefits.

The Board remands the claims for a low back disability rating in excess of 20 percent, service connection for sciatica as secondary to the low back disability, and service connection for a right knee disability due to inadequate medical examinations.

The appeal to reduce the Veteran's back disability rating from 20 percent disabling to 10 percent was dismissed as it was not ripe for appeal.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, denied an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and restored the 40 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatic, musculocutaneous, and external cutaneous nerve radiculopathy. The Board also remanded claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial ratings, finding that the evidence did not support an earlier date of entitlement or a higher rating.

The Board remands the claims for a back disorder, sciatica, and kidney stones to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for spinal fusion with disc rupture and degenerative disc disease, an initial compensable rating for a scar, status post spinal fusion, and service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the service-connected condition.

The Board dismissed the appeal for revision of a February 1970 rating decision and denied the appeal for revision of a January 1971 rating decision, both based on clear and unmistakable error.

The Board remands the claims for a lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and asthma to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for unspecified depressive disorder and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, as well as remanded several other claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for neck and back disabilities to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the acquisition of relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical, thoracolumbar spine, left leg, and right leg disorders as secondary to service-connected migraine headaches due to a need for an addendum medical opinion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, finding no evidence of worsening conditions within one year prior to filing.

The Board remands the claims for a lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy affecting both lower extremities due to missing medical records from VA facilities and an incomplete report of an MRI scan.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, lower back, and testicular conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and a lower back disability, both as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hip disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings under applicable criteria.

The Board granted an effective date of June 15, 2021, for a 40 percent evaluation for the chronic orthopedic symptoms of lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease (DDD), and granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) effective October 6, 2023.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as it needs to be adjudicated on the merits.