Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction with hypogonadism, hypertension, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence of current disability or functional impairment. The claims for these conditions were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and obstructive sleep apnea to obtain adequate medical opinions addressing deficiencies in previous VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and related conditions as they are inextricably intertwined with the claim for service connection for multiple myeloma.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of November 17, 2015, for the grant of individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings for various conditions, including right knee scars, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee pain, limited flexion, back disorder, and right knee meniscal tear with knee meniscus repair and joint osteoarthritis.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus and a left hand/fingers disorder, to verify his complete dates of service and schedule him for VA examinations.

The Board remands the claim for a new examination to address the inadequacies of the previous VA examination regarding the Veteran's lumbosacral strain.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, a right ankle condition, a left ankle condition, and a back condition.

The Board denied service connection for mid/lower back, right shoulder, right and left knee, bilateral flatfoot, GERD, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)/irritable colon, and bilateral hearing loss disorders. The claim for CHF was remanded for further development.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy but granted service connection for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his malignant melanoma, sinusitis, cluster headaches, and cervical degenerative arthritis with radiculopathy do not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board granted service connection for a dermatological disorder, left ear hearing loss, and pulmonary or respiratory disorder, while denying service connection for bilateral iris coloboma, right ear hearing loss, and other disorders.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and right shoulder condition due to an error in providing notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing before VA issues a decision.

The Board remands the claim for extraschedular consideration of TDIU based on a single disability, specifically thoracolumbar spine strain.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder with generalized anxiety disorder, lumbosacral strain, right knee strain, and hemorrhoids.

The Board remands the service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea and related conditions to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the case to schedule a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to his active service, as new and relevant evidence has been submitted.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, denied ratings in excess of the assigned levels for lumbar spine disability and cardiac disability, and granted TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, gout (foot), and a compensable rating for rhinitis due to the lack of evidence supporting an etiological link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.