Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to properly assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and to determine whether he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to obesity caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and a low back disability, but denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, left foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), right foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board granted service connection for atrial fibrillation and heart palpitations, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraines headaches, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis. Service connection for right hand degenerative arthritis and sinusitis was denied.

The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for migraines and denied increased ratings for dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. The remaining claims for service connection were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar sprain, finding it to be related to an in-service back injury.

The Board remands the claims for additional evidence and a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left shoulder, cervical, and back conditions were proximately caused by his participation in the VA CWT program.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lower back disability, neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities due to a lack of adequate medical evidence.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, and osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis of the right knee prior to October 25, 2023. The claim for a left knee disability was also granted based on continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board remands the claim for a chronic lower back disability for an examination to determine its etiology.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for the remaining conditions.

The appeal for a compensable disability rating for ulcerative colitis was withdrawn and dismissed, while the Veteran's entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar stenosis, finding no sufficient evidence of an in-service back injury or continuity of symptomology and a medical nexus between the Veteran's current disability and his military service.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's back condition and an earlier effective date for service connection.

The Board granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis on a presumptive basis, but denied service connection for lumbosacral strain.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20% rating for lumbosacral strain and denied a rating greater than 20%, as well as service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis to ensure an adequate medical opinion is obtained.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability from June 16, 2024, and denied an increased rating in excess of 30 percent prior to that date. The appeal was also remanded for further development regarding other disabilities.

The appeal for an initial compensable rating for GERD was withdrawn, and the claims for service connection for a low back disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, and right knee disability were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for left knee strain, lumbosacral strain, service connection for a right hip disability (degenerative arthritis), and a right elbow disability.