Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability, to include right and left sided lumbar radiculopathy, and a right hip disability due to pre-decisional errors that occurred prior to the issuance of the January 2024 rating decision.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's motion to reverse the January 1993 RO rating decision that denied service connection for a low back disability, on the grounds of clear and unmistakable error (CUE), due to insufficient specificity in the allegations.

The Board dismissed the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and denied entitlements to earlier effective dates, higher initial ratings, and increased ratings.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, and right wrist disability.

The veteran withdrew her appeals for all the listed conditions and issues, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a lower back condition to obtain an adequate medical opinion on whether the Veteran's currently diagnosed lower back conditions were aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an earlier effective date for the assignment of a 20 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain, effective October 12, 2022.

The Board granted an effective earlier date of September 10, 2013 for the initial 40 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a 30 percent rating for right knee medial meniscus tear with meniscectomy and degenerative arthritis.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine disability to ensure that due process is followed and there is a complete record upon which to decide the Veteran's claim.

The Veteran's service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease with degenerative disc disease and a maximum 100 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder from August 23, 2023, were granted; however, the claim for a higher rating for chronic bronchitis was denied.

The claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain with spasm, degenerative disc disease, intervertebral disc syndrome, disc herniation and L-5, S-1 microdiscectomy, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve), and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) were denied due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left ankle, right ankle, left knee, right knee, low back, neck pain, PTSD, and left shoulder conditions, as the Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability, to include degenerative disc disease (DDD), as the evidence did not support a finding of a causal relationship between these conditions and the veteran's military service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for alcohol abuse and remanded claims for tinnitus, low back disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, hypertension, a dental and oral disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease, headaches, a lumbar spine disorder, a cervical spine disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right wrist disorder, and left wrist disorder.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, to include degenerative disc disease. The claims for hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, peripheral neuropathy, hallux valgus, and a sleep condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for a back disability and bilateral lower radiculopathy, thus the appeals are dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy with right foot drop, and multiple sclerosis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.