Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted an effective date of August 10, 2022, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for a heart disability and denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating in various service-connected conditions due to deficiencies in VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to a lack of proper notification and scheduling of VA examinations.

The Board granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another individual due to the veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a rating of 30 percent for left knee osteoarthritis and right knee osteoarthritis, effective from April 19, 2018 to January 25, 2021.

The Board remanded several claims for further development and denied service connection for a right lower extremity disability of the femoral nerve, a left lower extremity disability of the femoral nerve, and a compensable rating for hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, and remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine.

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee, right knee, and/or left foot impairment.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left low back injury, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and colon cancer for further development, including scheduling VA examinations.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for right foot and right knee disabilities as untimely filed, but remanded the claim for a back disability for further development.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy but denied a higher rating and also denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, specifically related to an examination that was not conducted due to the Veteran's no-show.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of lumbosacral strain, finding no evidence that a formal or informal claim was filed prior to October 14, 2022.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder to correct an error by the AOJ in satisfying its duty to assist under 38 U.S.C. § 5103A.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and a back disability (lumbosacral strain) but remanded the claim for a bilateral foot condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for a left ring finger disability and service connection for toe disorder, sinusitis, left hand disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and low back disorder.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine, right hip strain, and right lower extremity paresthesias disabilities but granted a separate rating of 10 percent for painful motion on right hip extension. The Board also remanded service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea and migraine disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings for PTSD with alcohol use disorder and persistent depressive disorder, and lumbar spine disability, status post-discectomy.