Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and right shoulder disability due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to obtain an addendum opinion that addresses whether the Veteran's obesity, which may be caused by his service-connected disabilities, is a substantial factor in causing his lumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral arm disability, back disability, GERD, neck disability, bilateral leg disability, bilateral foot disability, sleep apnea, headache disability, sinusitis, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased initial ratings for a low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a back disability, a hernia disability, residuals of broken ribs, and a chest cavity disability due to the need for additional evidence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a right ankle condition, left ankle fracture, psychological disorder, and back condition to ensure that all evidence reviewed by the AOJ at the time of the January 2021 rating decision is properly documented.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, a thoracolumbar spine (low back) disorder, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is dismissed due to the Veteran not submitting an NOD within one year of the rating decision being mailed.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The claims for cervical strain and right and left knee disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and denied increased ratings for the right knee strain, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with sacroiliitis and IVDS. However, a 20 percent rating was granted for right knee instability.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's in-service injury and his current condition.

The Veteran's appeal for the direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a September 2023 rating decision was denied.

The appeals for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and bilateral hip disorders were dismissed due to procedural defects.

The appeal for an increased rating for degenerative disc disease was granted to 40 percent effective May 5, 2023, while the appeals for lumbar radiculopathy in both lower extremities were also granted at 10 percent with the same effective date.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction but granted service connection for major depression secondary to a back condition.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the lumbar spine disability and a 60 percent rating for favorable ankylosis of the right hip, while denying other increased ratings.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability and no evidence of a causal relationship to the Veteran's military service. The claims for back condition, right knee condition, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that new and relevant evidence was not submitted to support these claims.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and lumbosacral strain as secondary to patellar femoral syndrome, bilateral knees.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20 percent disability rating for thoracolumbar sprain, effective September 21, 2021, and denied an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for GERD and a back disability due to the need for additional medical evidence.