Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee strain, lower back condition, and nerve paralysis of the left lower extremity to obtain a direct medical opinion.

The appeal for entitlement to left hip injury, right hip injury, and right hand injury was dismissed as these issues were not properly appealed. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an initial increased rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain based on the findings from a September 2022 VA examination.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and private treatment records, as well as a medical nexus opinion.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability and a neurological disability due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to service-connected PTSD and lumbar spine condition, but dismissed the claims for cervical spine pain and degenerative arthritis of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, a lung condition, and a dental disorder for VA compensation purposes due to the lack of evidence supporting these claims. The claims for other disabilities were remanded for further development.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for a psychiatric disability, to include mood disorder with depression. The claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities and sleep apnea were readjudicated based on new evidence, while the claim for back disability was not supported by new evidence.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the assignment of a 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability and for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy, left and right lower extremities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, and back scar. The claims for asbestosis and sleep apnea were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, while remanding the claims for right foot and right knee conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Board dismissed the motion to revise or reverse on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) for multiple issues regarding service connection, as the Veteran did not plead CUE with sufficient particularity.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a low back condition, and an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition and a right ankle condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for all listed issues, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The appeal for evaluation in excess of 40 percent and an earlier effective date for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine has been dismissed.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) remands the claims for further development, including obtaining a complete record of service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board remands the claims for a higher disability rating for lumbosacral strain and bilateral sciatic radiculopathy due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to assist in obtaining relevant non-VA medical records.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a right knee disorder as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and no competent medical evidence linking them to military service.