Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and right lower extremity radiculopathy, to include as secondary to a chronic low back condition, due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20 percent rating for the back disability, effective July 9, 2021.

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the low back disability from June 17, 2020 was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder with polysubstance use disorder in remission), and a low back disability. The claims for migraine headaches and rashes were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and denied initial ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings for various disabilities, including anxiety disorder, GERD, tinnitus, knee pain, wrist sprain, foot conditions, and scars.

The Board remands the claim for a back condition to ensure an adequate medical opinion is obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability, finding that the evidence does not support a finding that the back condition was proximately due to or aggravated by the right ankle disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition as new and relevant evidence was not submitted to warrant readjudication.

The Veteran's left finger condition, to include a ring-finger scar, is granted due to an etiological relationship with his service. Other claims for service connection are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a low back disability, a seizure disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, but granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, including perifollicular ingrown hairs, mixed hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, type II, kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, gout, and hypertension. However, it remanded claims for readjudication of right shoulder strain/pain, right knee pain, swollen joints in the right lower extremity, lumbar spine disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's back disability had its onset during active service and has continued ever since.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability as new and relevant evidence was not received to readjudicate these claims.

The Veteran was granted an initial rating of 40 percent for his back disability from November 23, 2020, to November 7, 2021, but no greater. The claims for increased ratings for right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy were denied.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine have been rated at 40 percent, effective June 29, 2020, for which earlier effective dates were granted.

The Board remands the claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease with lumbar facet arthropathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and remanded the claim for lumbosacral strain with scoliosis.

The Board remands the claims for a lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board remands the claim for a new medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is either proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected depressive disorder.