Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder but granted service connection for a lower back disability with right lower extremity radiculopathy on a secondary basis, and denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for cervicalgia, spondylosis deformans, and degenerative disc disease, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The appeal of the issues related to increased ratings for various conditions, including tendonitis of the right ankle, osteoarthritis of the left ankle, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy in both lower extremities, was dismissed due to a procedural defect.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back disorder, an upper back and neck disorder, and migraine headaches based on the evidence showing that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities as they are not related to the Veteran's in-service frostbite or any other in-service injury.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, essential tremors of both hands, and right hip disability as further development is needed to obtain adequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals denied service connection for the cause of death, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his metastatic rectal carcinoma.

The Board denied service connection for various orthopedic conditions and hypertension, as well as an initial compensable rating for a left 5th metacarpal fracture, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for IVDS with DDD, degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board remands the claim for TDIU due to a need for further development of evidence, including VA treatment records and completion of necessary forms.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, a bilateral knee condition, and a back condition (including back pain) based on new and relevant evidence. The claim for a gynecological condition was denied.

The appeal concerning the claim for service connection for a low back disability was dismissed due to failure to file a timely Notice of Disagreement.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids. However, the Veteran was granted a 50% rating prior to June 12, 2024, and a 100% rating from that date forward for his acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a prostate disability and low back disability to correct pre-decisional errors by the AOJ in fulfilling VA's duty to assist the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of December 8, 2010, for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was granted.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all service connection and rating claims, resulting in the dismissal of each claim.

The Board has denied service connection for multiple conditions and denied higher initial ratings for several service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder but denied it for anxiety and did not grant a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 25, 2019.

The appeal is dismissed because the issues of service connection for various conditions are not ripe for appellate consideration.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including a low back condition and left foot disability, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred during or related to active military service.