Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for migraine/tension headaches, right foot/heel condition, and lumbosacral strain to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board granted an effective date of March 14, 2022, for the award of a 40 percent evaluation for chronic sprain of the lumbar spine with spondylitic spondylolisthesis, degenerative arthritis, and disc diseases.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and radiculopathy disabilities due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating for migraine headaches, an increased rating for thoracolumbar spine strain, and an increased rating for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and a back disability, both on a direct basis. The Veteran was also granted an initial 10 percent rating for migraines from January 31, 2023.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain, a neck condition, a left shoulder condition, and a right ankle condition as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis, degenerative disc disease, headaches/chronic migraines, and chronic joint pain as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for bronchitis, lungs and chest burns, and hypertension are remanded due to the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) and an indication of an association between the claimed disabilities and TERA.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression; lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS); a left lower extremity nerve disability; and a right lower extremity nerve disability. The claims were remanded for further development regarding hypertension and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the current disability and any in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and myofascitis, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine (claimed as bulging disc C3-C4 and C5-C6), an increased rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, and allergic rhinitis. The Board also denied earlier effective dates for these conditions.

The appeal for eligibility for benefits under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA's) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers is remanded due to an AOJ error in satisfying a regulatory and statutory duty.

The Board denied a compensable rating for lumbar spine surgical scars and a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, while remanding the claims for increased ratings for left shoulder strain with AC joint osteoarthritis, ulnar neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and hematemesis, while denying an earlier effective date for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea and granting a 30 percent rating for it. The acid reflux disability claim was remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the August 15, 2024, rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for GERD, right ankle pain, athlete's foot, low back strain, right wrist condition, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and right pinky finger strain.

The Board granted service connection for the left elbow, low back, and right knee conditions but denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied it for left ear hearing loss, while remanding claims for right ankle disability, right knee disability, and back disability.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for lumbosacral strain due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, neck, and back disorders as the evidence did not support a finding of a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, left knee condition, right knee condition, and TBI. The claims for a low back condition, right shoulder condition, and tendonitis were remanded.