Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and migraines. The effective date for erectile dysfunction and special monthly compensation was also granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain, and the Board dismissed the claim.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for a low back disability to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the condition, specifically focusing on the dates of diagnosis for ankylosing spondylitis and spinal stenosis.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, left shoulder disability, and lower back condition as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, but remanded the claim for a left foot disorder, diagnosed as hallux rigidus.

The Board restored the 20 percent rating for the thoracolumbar spine disability, effective July 1, 2024. The right hip claim was remanded for further development.

The Board remands the issue of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, a thoracic spine disability, and an initial rating of 70 percent for persistent depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to obtain private medical records.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and denied an increased rating for hypertension, while dismissing the claim for an earlier effective date. The decision also remanded several other claims.

The Board granted service connection for vertigo and remanded the claim for low back disability due to an error in the previous administrative determination.

The Board remands the claim for a back disability to correct a duty to assist error, including obtaining additional medical records and an addendum opinion.

The Board remands the claim for an extraschedular total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to April 30, 2020, as it needs additional medical evidence to differentiate between symptoms attributable to service-connected and non-service-connected conditions.

The Board remands the claim for a lower back disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion, as the previous VA examination was found inadequate.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory condition and an increased rating for testicular hydrocele/varicocele, but remanded the claim for service connection for low back strain.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA.

The Board denied service connection for back disability as the evidence does not support a finding that it began during active service or is related to an in-service injury.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis with DDD of the lumbar spine and an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder (MDD) with anxious distress.

The Board granted an effective date of October 1, 1993, for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea and April 10, 2006, for the grant of service connection for a lumbar disability. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to January 23, 2019, for the grant of service connection for mitral regurgitation was denied.