Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for a lower back condition to obtain a medical opinion regarding its relationship to service, as no such opinion is currently of record.

The Board granted an effective date of July 11, 2018, for the grant of a 20 percent disability rating for lumbar spine disability and noncompensable ratings for right and left knee limitation of extension.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a 40 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome prior to March 24, 2021.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition to correct duty-to-assist errors by obtaining VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, and right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy as secondary to the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for lung cancer and dismissed the appeal for a lower back disorder due to duplicative filings.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine arthritis, finding that the evidence supports a direct link between the Veteran's back disability and her military service.

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

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right, left hip conditions and lower back condition as the VA examinations are found to be inadequate.

The Board remands the service connection claim for degenerative disc disease with lumbar radiculopathy to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board denied an effective date prior to January 10, 2008 for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral spine and also denied revision or reversal of the October 20, 2008 rating decision based on Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition, COPD, and a heart condition due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board remands the case for additional development as the prior medical opinion did not address all lay statements and further evidence may be needed to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is related to his military service.

The Board remands the claims for further development, specifically to obtain an opinion addressing whether the Veteran's back disability results in the functional equivalent of ankylosis.

The Board granted a separate disability evaluation for left knee instability beginning April 1, 2008, and remanded the issue of an increased rating for the same condition from February 7, 2021. The lumbar spine disability issues were also remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for arthritic pain of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, an eye condition, a low back condition, vertigo, and vitamin D deficiency due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for weight gain and remanded several issues related to the Veteran's other claimed disabilities, including ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions and service connection for psychiatric and other medical conditions.

The Board remands the claim for an increased disability evaluation for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability to ensure compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board granted separate 10 percent ratings for left knee limitation of extension and right and left knee lateral instability, effective from November 3, 2021, and July 27, 2022 respectively. The Board also granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to the service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral ankle disorder as there was no evidence of these conditions manifesting in service or within one year thereafter, nor any evidence linking them to the Veteran's military service.