Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine disability and earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and granted a 30 percent rating for asthma, while denying service connection for various conditions including allergic rhinitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypertension, lumbar spine pain, right lower extremity sciatic radicular pain, tremors of the bilateral hands, and chronic headaches.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for mood disorder and a 30 percent rating for tension headaches, while denying increased ratings for left hip/thigh impairment, left pelvic fracture s/p ORIF, lumbosacral spine strain, and service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition, finding that the Veteran's current disability was caused by an in-service injury and has persisted ever since.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral hearing loss, but granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims for right knee strain and left knee strain were remanded.

The Board granted an initial 40 percent disability rating for the service-connected back disability from November 12, 2021 to July 14, 2023 and restoration of a 40 percent disability rating effective November 13, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for further development and to ensure that all relevant evidence is properly considered.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20% rating for lumbar spine disability and service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, while denying service connection for vertigo.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, effective December 8, 2025.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition, left and right upper extremity neuropathy, left and right lower extremity neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction to afford the Veteran VA examinations and obtain medical opinions.

The Veteran was granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance from July 28, 2023, through September 21, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for hemorrhoids and denied service connection for a back disability, joint pain, migraines, and a skin condition. All other claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right foot plantar fasciitis, left ankle achilles tendinopathy, post-traumatic (concussion) headaches, and TBI. The appeal for an earlier effective date was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, linear midline lumbar surgical scar, and bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and denied claims for right ankle calcaneal enthesopathy and left ankle calcaneal enthesopathy. The remaining claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, neck disability, right pelvic disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for thoracolumbar strain with bilateral sacroiliitis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability and dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, left thumb tremor, and bronchitis due to untimely filing of a notice of disagreement.