Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder based on their etiological relationship to the Veteran's periods of INACDUTRA.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including the neck, back, hips, knees, ankles, and foot, as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the thoracolumbar spine, as there was no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis.

The Board remands the service connection claims for headaches, a back condition, a neck condition, and a left shoulder condition due to missing medical records from DCH Regional Hospital in Tuscaloosa.

The Board remands the claims for further development and readjudication by the AOJ.

The Board must remand the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for a low back disability due to an inadequate VA examination and the need to address the Veteran's prior documented history of flareups and functional impairment.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.

The appeal regarding the assigned ratings for the service-connected lumbar disability was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board remands the issues for a new VA examination to address inconsistencies in previous examinations and to obtain updated treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, right wrist disability, and left wrist disability as there was no evidence of these conditions being caused by or related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left hip strain, lumbosacral strain, GERD, and ED to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities was granted.

The appeal of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder was dismissed due to the Veteran's concurrent election of multiple review options.

The Board remands the claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain to afford the Veteran an examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 40 percent rating of degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc disease, as it was not factually ascertainable that an increase in disability had occurred prior to October 29, 2021.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability and a psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as further evidence is needed.