Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for low back strain.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain disability, finding that the condition is related to the appellant's active duty military service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to untimely Notice of Disagreement, and denied service connection for tumors of the central nervous system. The claims for psychiatric disorder, arthritis, and low back condition were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the requests to revise a March 13, 1997 rating decision that assigned noncompensable ratings for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and lumbosacral strain on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board remands the claim for a higher rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease with foraminal/lateral recess/central stenosis and lumbosacral strain to obtain outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, back condition, and remanded the claims for a neck condition and left shoulder condition.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as there was no evidence of an in-service event, injury, or disease relevant to these conditions and a nexus between the current disabilities and active duty. The claims for service connection for headaches, lumbar spine condition, left foot condition, right foot condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, cervical spine condition, and right upper extremity radiculopathy were remanded for further development.

The claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right hip, left hip, right leg, left leg, right shoulder, left shoulder, upper back, lower back, and anxiety/nerves were dismissed due to an improperly completed notice of disagreement.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for PTSD as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD. The claims for service connection for a back disability and dermatophytosis tinea pedis or athlete's foot were remanded due to incomplete VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a need to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Board remands the case for a VA examination to determine if low back pain is etiologically related to service.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and dismissed the appeal for a back disorder as it was a duplicate of an issue pending in the legacy system.

The appeal for service connection for a low back disorder is dismissed as the benefit sought has been granted in full.

The Board dismissed the appeals for various conditions due to untimely filings and concurrent review requests.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the Veteran's lumbar spondylosis with degenerative arthritis and remanded the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding VA examination scheduling.

The Board restored the 40% rating for lumbar spine disability and denied an increased rating. The reduction of the left lower extremity radiculopathy to 10% was upheld, but no increase was granted.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back disability and a cervical spine disability, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left lower extremity neuropathy, femoral and sciatic nerves, but denied an increased rating for his lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities as well as left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.