Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus and a 20 percent rating for his lumbar spine disorder.

The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis to ensure a proper VA examination is conducted.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for various disabilities as additional evidence and opinions are needed.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and a 20 percent rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, but denied an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and arthritis, finding the evidence to be in equipoise regarding their etiological relation to the Veteran's service. The claims for left and right wrist conditions were remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for adjustment disorder with traumatic brain injury and remanded claims for service connection for back, right foot, and neck disorders.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for a low back condition and tinnitus, resulting in the dismissal of both claims.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA opinion to address whether the Veteran's current back disorder is related to service, including environmental exposure while stationed in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date prior to July 23, 2018 for service connection for various conditions.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's back disability and denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for acid reflux, as well as higher ratings for left and right femoral nerve radiculopathy. The Board also remanded several service connection claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lower back condition and chronic abdominal pain to schedule VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain, left and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint separations, and migraine headaches. Atrial fibrillation and a left foot condition were denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied earlier effective dates for right hand fracture, little finger and deviated nasal septum with allergic rhinitis. Other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various service-connected conditions, including frostbite residuals of the upper and lower extremities, left hip strain, tinnitus, depressive and alcohol use disorders, radiculopathy, anosmia, right upper eyelid scar, cervical spine disability, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the back disability from January 25, 2023, to May 31, 2023, and denied a rating in excess of 100 percent between May 31, 2023, and October 1, 2023. The remaining claims for increased ratings for the back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back and right hip conditions to obtain additional medical evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, right knee disability, and low back disability as the weight of evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition.

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the service-connected left hip strain and lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left and right knee degenerative arthritis (painful motion), and left and right hip strain (painful motion) as there was no evidence of a disability level that warranted a higher rating.