Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar strain with disc disease to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically to obtain workman's compensation records and an adequate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for back, left shoulder, gastrointestinal, and dental conditions to obtain additional evidence and examinations.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for back, knee, and wrist disabilities to correct duty-to-assist errors by obtaining medical opinions that address the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date prior to November 21, 2020 for the grant of service connection for various disabilities and DEA benefits.

The Board remands the claims for a lumbar sprain and left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the severity of these disabilities.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for the back, right shoulder, and left lower extremity radiculopathy as the symptomatology did not meet or approximate the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability due to missing records from the Shreveport VAMC.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various knee and back conditions, as well as secondary radiculopathy and neurogenic bladder dysfunction, due to a need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, a left foot disorder (including neuropathy), a back disorder (lower back/spine condition), rheumatoid arthritis, and a thyroid condition. The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the denial of his claim of entitlement to service connection for a dental condition.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for depression, restored the rating of 40% for degenerative disc disease of the spine, and granted a 30% rating for dyspepsia and unspecified abdominal pain from March 1, 2024.

The appeal was dismissed due to untimely filing of the notice of disagreement and violation of claims processing rules.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and right hip condition as additional evidence is needed to address whether these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected knee conditions.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the matters for new examinations that comply with its previous remand instructions to ensure substantial compliance.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's back disability prior to September 29, 2020, and remanded the claim for service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board denied the increased rating claims for post-concussion syndrome with unspecified depressive disorder, disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. The appeal was remanded to consider SMC based on a TDIU.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the service-connected residuals of fracture of lumbar vertebrae but granted special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) from October 28, 2012.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for various bilateral and unilateral disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's National Guard service eligibility and incomplete service records.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and sciatica of the right lower extremity, finding no evidence that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service or manifested within one year of separation.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, left hip disability (degenerative arthritis and trochanteric pain syndrome), right hip disability (degenerative arthritis and trochanteric pain syndrome), and right knee degenerative arthritis.