Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability from March 14, 2022, and denied service connection for insomnia. The appeal also includes remanded claims for secondary service connection for various conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected plantar fasciitis with degenerative arthritis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, gout in the right lower extremity, and gout in the left lower extremity to obtain additional evidence.

The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain (back) to obtain private treatment records and an adequate examination.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection of multiple conditions, including left and right knee disabilities, tension headaches, elbow and wrist disabilities, lumbar spine disability, sciatica of the right leg, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 50 percent for chronic sinusitis, 10 percent for tinnitus, and 30 percent for cervical strain. It granted an initial rating of at least 10 percent for right tibia fracture residuals effective January 26, 2018, and at least 20 percent effective June 2, 2021. The Board remanded several other issues including secondary service connection claims.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for spinal stenosis and arthropathy of lumbar facet joint due to an inadequate VA opinion that did not address the Veteran's lay statements of continuous symptoms since service.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain (claimed as lower back pain) to obtain a medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The appeal of entitlement to service connection for deviated septum status post septoplasty is dismissed as moot. The initial ratings higher than 20 percent for cervical strain, 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, and 10 percent for left wrist, right index finger, and right long finger strains are denied. An initial compensable rating for headaches is also denied.

The appeal for service connection for left hip and right wrist conditions is dismissed as moot because the benefits were granted.,The appeals for service connection for right hand/fingers and right lower extremity sciatica radiculopathy are denied due to lack of evidence supporting a diagnosis.,Service connection for left shoulder and right shoulder conditions is granted based on onset during active service.,Initial ratings for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and hemorrhoids are denied as the criteria were not met.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, a right hip disorder, a left hip disorder, a back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression and anxiety, as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, granted an effective date of December 29, 2017, for TDIU and DEA benefits, and remanded the issue of a compensable evaluation for scar, post lumbar laminectomy.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection for various conditions, as the claim was received on June 15, 2023.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lower back disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy of both lower extremities, and internal and external cutaneous nerve radiculopathies. However, it granted restoration of a 40 percent rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy in both lower extremities from April 1, 2020, and awarded TDIU effective February 1, 2019.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, lumbosacral strain (claimed as back injury), mental health disorder, and right knee condition due to untimely filing of a notice of disagreement.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for a new examination to address service connection and increased rating issues.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, a left elbow disability, a low back disability, and right and left knee disabilities based on evidence showing that these conditions are related to his active-duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between his current condition and his military service or any of his service-connected conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including psychiatric conditions and physical issues, due to incomplete records from the Social Security Administration (SSA).