Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board remands the case for an addendum opinion to assess the severity of the Veteran's back disability, expressed in terms of range of motion and functional impairment during flare-ups.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a recurrent lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, and sleep disability due to the need for further development of the record.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a neck disability with permanent nerve damage and difficulty with hands and legs, left ankle, left foot, left leg, right leg, left leg artery, right leg artery, back, and respiratory conditions, to verify potential toxic risk exposure activities (TERA) in addition to conceded herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and back disability, as well as his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder as there was no evidence of a chronic back disorder in service, and the current back disorder is not causally or etiologically related to service.

The Board granted service connection for systolic heart murmur, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, metastatic disease of the spine, hypertension (HTN), hepatic lesions, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, epigastric pain, and reticuloendothelial disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lung cancer. Hyperlipidemia was denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for the low back condition and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, but granted a 40% rating from August 4, 2016, to August 20, 2018, for the low back condition and a 40% rating from December 30, 2020, for left lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic nerve.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, a respiratory disability to include lung cancer, the cause of the Veteran's death, and special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to insufficient evidence.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain and service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and left knee osteoarthritis due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spinal fusion.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected physical disabilities and granted a 40 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability prior to April 2, 2024. The decision also denied increased ratings for PTSD, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disability, hearing loss, OSA, heart disease, and type two diabetes mellitus.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and separate ratings for radiculopathy conditions due to a failure in duty to assist, specifically regarding the acquisition of necessary medical evidence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, stomach disability, and soft tissue sarcoma residuals due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for neurobehavioral effects due to a lack of current disability, and remanded claims for cervical spine, right knee, right shoulder, lumbar spine, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to a cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) from April 23, 2009.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for the service-connected low back disability before January 5, 2016.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for lichen planus on the glans penis and remanded claims for higher ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent, but not higher, for lumbar spondylolisthesis with IVDS based on the Veteran's reported pain and functional limitations.