Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a back disorder due to the absence of current diagnoses.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for middle/lower back thoracolumbar spine condition and left knee condition, including degenerative joint disease, to ensure that VA's responsibilities under the duty to assist are followed.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine spondylosis with DDD L5-S1 and IVDS, along with left lower extremity of the sciatic and femoral nerves, prevented her from substantially gainful employment from March 2021 to July 2022.

The Board dismissed the claims for initial ratings higher than 10 percent or compensable ratings for various disabilities due to premature Notice of Disagreement filings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back, knee, and foot conditions, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased evaluations for service-connected degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral spine; left and right lower radiculopathy, sciatic nerve; and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased evaluation greater than 40 percent for degenerative disc disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine and right foot disorder, including torn ligament, to obtain additional evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, as there was no evidence to support a higher rating.

The veteran has withdrawn the appeals for service connection for a back condition, left shoulder degenerative joint disease, left knee condition, and left ankle condition.

The Board granted service connection for left knee strain and right knee strain effective February 10, 2023, but dismissed the claims as moot. The Board also granted increased ratings for certain conditions while denying others.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and lumbar spine DDD and thoracic spine scoliosis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by active service.

The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral pes planus, neck disability, and low back disability.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, effective March 12, 2023.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a back disorder due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, left foot peripheral neuropathy of the sciatic nerve, and hypertension, effective from November 2, 2022. Other claims were denied.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis but granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a bilateral foot disorder due to missing service records and Social Security Administration disability records.

The Board denied service connection for low back and cervical/neck disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.

The Board granted the claim for an earlier effective date of October 14, 2005, for the award of service connection for a lumbar spine condition.