Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied the appellant's claim for direct payment of attorney fees from past due benefits awarded in an August 2023 rating decision granting service connection for Parkinson's disease and related symptoms.

The Board remands the claims for higher initial disability ratings for obstructive sleep apnea with COPD and lumbosacral strain to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claim for a TDIU prior to March 10, 2016, as there is evidence suggesting that the Veteran may have been unable to work due to his service-connected disabilities before meeting the schedular criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Board remands the claim for a higher disability rating for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease with mild thoracolumbar spondylosis due to a duty to assist error in notifying the Veteran of an examination.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's neck and back disabilities, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his back disability, which began during active service and was treated with methadone, contributed substantially to his fatal methadone toxicity.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, finding a relationship between the in-service injury and current disability. The back disability claim was remanded for further development.

The Board remands all claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically the need to obtain Social Security Administration records and an addendum opinion regarding vertigo.

The Board granted the application to readjudicate claims for glaucoma and nuclear sclerosis of the left eye and right chronic angle closure and nuclear sclerosis of the right eye based on new and relevant evidence. All four conditions were remanded for further development and adequate medical examinations.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spondylolisthesis and bilateral ankle dermatitis, restored the ratings for left knee limitation of extension, left ankle degenerative joint disease (DJD), and right ankle DJD, and denied service connection for sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a right 5th finger scar, increased ratings for left knee flexion and extension, and rhinitis.

The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but denied service connection and a compensable rating for the hernia condition, as well as service connection for lumbar spine mild degenerative disc and facet disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right leg, and acquired psychiatric disorders to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board granted an effective date of December 23, 2019, for service connection of lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome but denied earlier effective dates for the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and post-concussive headaches.

The Board granted service connection for insomnia and remanded claims for further development.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to insufficient evidence and failure to obtain necessary medical examinations and opinions.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral flat feet.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and an increased rating of 70 percent, but no higher, for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, effective February 24, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine IVDS, DDD, anterolisthesis, and spinal stenosis, as well as left and right lower extremity radiculopathies.