Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied increased evaluations for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, finding that the current ratings accurately reflect the severity of his disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and assigned ratings of 20 percent for both the repaired left knee meniscal tear and the unrepaired right knee meniscal tear, while denying higher ratings for painful and limited motion in both knees.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition and tinnitus, denied a higher rating for PTSD, and remanded the remaining claims for further development.

The Board remands the service connection claim for lumbar discopathy due to duty to assist errors, including a need for an addendum medical opinion and potentially missing employment-related physical examination records.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability and denied higher initial ratings for shoulder, TBI, and cervical spine disabilities. Other claims were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, COPD, and denied an initial rating higher than 50 percent for MDD with GAD.

The Board remands the claim for a lower back disability to the AOJ for an examination and opinion on its etiology.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a low back disability, major depressive disorder, fibroid tumors, and complete and total hysterectomy due to concurrent elections of review requests.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease was granted a rating of 40 percent on and after August 11, 2018.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability for further development of evidence.

The appeal for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss was denied.,The appeal for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss was denied.,Service connection for right ear tinnitus is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for left ear tinnitus is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for right foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for left foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for right ankle disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for back disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for right knee disability secondary to service-connected right foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for left knee disability secondary to service-connected left foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to service-connected right and left knee disabilities is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The veteran has formally requested the withdrawal of all pending appeals before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, and lumbosacral strain but granted service connection for dermatitis as secondary to allergic rhinitis. The Board also granted a separate 10 percent rating for left foot plantar fasciitis and a 20 percent rating for cervical strain from May 31, 2024.

The Board remands the case to obtain complete service treatment records, including Reserve STRs, as they may contain evidence pertinent to the Veteran's claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or illness and no evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and granted service connection for a left anterior tibia scar, status post hematoma laceration. The claims for bilateral pes planus (flat feet) and sleep apnea were dismissed, while the remaining claims were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for further development and evidence gathering.

The Board granted readjudication of the claim for service connection for a back disability based on new and relevant evidence, but remanded the issue for further development.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral foot plantar fasciitis and a TDIU prior to July 24, 2025, while denying higher ratings for back disability, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and mental health disability.

The Board denied service connection for a pulmonary disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder as the evidence did not support the presence of current disabilities related to the Veteran's active duty service.