Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted restoration of the 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain, effective from November 1, 2023.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for tinnitus and service connection for PTSD, back condition, migraines, psychiatric disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome. The back condition, migraines, and psychiatric disorder issues were remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a lumbosacral spine disability, and the Board has dismissed the case.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition, irritable bowel syndrome, right knee condition, left knee condition, and migraine but denied service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.

The Board denied the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for various conditions secondary to a left hip replacement, finding that VA treatment did not cause any of the additional disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's low back disability as there is no evidence that it is related to his military service or any of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and a back disability, as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for the right ankle injury and an extraschedular TDIU prior to September 1, 2020.

The Board is remanding the issue of entitlement to an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for lumbosacral spine strain due to an inadequate examination that failed to properly address flare-ups.

The Board remands the issues for further development, specifically to obtain and associate with the claims file all treatment records regarding the Veteran scanned into VISTA.

The Board remands the issues of an increased initial rating for a thoracolumbar spine disability and entitlement to TDIU prior to November 1, 2012, due to the need for a medical opinion based on a review of records.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a back condition to ensure adequate medical opinions are obtained.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis, alone, from October 20, 2010, to present. He is also granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound criteria for the same period.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction for additional development, specifically requesting clarification from the examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, citing a lack of evidence linking the condition to military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's current back condition and his active military service.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with sciatica of the legs, effective September 1, 2012. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and amputation of the distal right ring finger were denied.

The Board remands the service connection claim for a back disability to ensure compliance with prior remand instructions, including obtaining complete medical records from University Medical Center Lafayette and addressing a newly raised secondary service connection theory related to obesity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as his combined service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board remands the claims for increased initial disability ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and a right ankle strain to ensure that VA examinations are adequate.

The Board remands the claims for a spine disability and gastrointestinal disability to correct duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining VA examinations.