Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating for a back disability and a separate evaluation for right lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate medical examination.

The appeal for service connection for posttraumatic arthritis in left knee and lumbar spine degenerative disease (claimed as lower back sprain) has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, lower back condition, and left ventricular hypertrophy to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and left knee condition to correct an error on the part of the AOJ regarding the duty to assist.

The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability and a 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability, while dismissing appeals for increased ratings on the left knee. Service connection was also granted for right and left foot plantar fasciitis.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the residuals of right ring finger mid-metacarpal fracture remodeling surgery based on painful motion of the wrist from July 6, 2021, to June 14, 2022, and denied a higher rating since June 15, 2022. The Board also granted a separate 10 percent rating for painful motion of the right long finger since July 6, 2021.

The Board denied increased ratings for right shoulder DJD and thoracolumbar DDD, but granted service connection for non-allergic rhinitis on a presumptive basis.

The Board denied service connection for migraine headaches, tinnitus, a lower back disability, and sleep apnea as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding insufficient evidence to support a grant of service connection or higher disability ratings.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a head injury requiring sutures, a residual disability from a head and facial injury, torn ligaments in the left ankle, and a back disability. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for convergence paralysis was also denied.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, neck disability, and lower back disability based on new and relevant evidence. However, it denied service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions as a matter of law due to claims processing errors preventing concurrent review.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, as the evidence shows that it had its onset during active service. The other claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, lumbar spine, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, right knee, plantar fasciitis, and sleep disorder, as the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or functional impairment affecting earning capacity.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's mental health disorder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left patellar tendon rupture with degenerative arthritis, and hypertension. A separate 10 percent rating was granted for instability of the left knee.

The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's low back strain and right ankle strain, as well as a TDIU prior to December 23, 2022, and an effective date of December 21, 2017, but no earlier, for DEA benefits.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for chronic low back pain to obtain a medical examination and opinion, as necessary legal determinations regarding the nature of the Veteran's pre-service condition cannot be made based on the current evidence.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the evidence supports a link between the Veteran's in-service symptoms and his current condition.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral metatarsalgia, right knee arthritis, tinnitus, left knee pain, lumbar spine pain, right hip pain, and left hip pain based on credible lay evidence of in-service onset and continuous symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a lumbar spine condition based on the evidence showing that the criteria for a higher rating were not met.