Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar strain to obtain a more adequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disability, a sleep disorder, type two diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, vertigo, hypertension, migraine headaches, arthritis of various joints, and kidney disease.

The appeal was denied for higher ratings and remanded for service connection of various conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for various conditions, including migraine headaches and a thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and knee conditions to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar disc disease due to a need for additional evidence and an examination.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy. The claims for other disabilities were remanded.

The Board remands the appeal for further development, including obtaining SSA records relevant to the Veteran's claims.

The Board granted an initial rating of 10 percent for GERD and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, low back disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right shoulder disability, respiratory disability, sleep apnea, and scars. Service connection was granted for irritable bowel syndrome, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and MDD), headache disability as secondary to PTSD/MDD, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD/MDD.

The Veteran withdrew appeals for increased rating claims and service connection claims, as well as a TDIU claim.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the 40 percent rating of degenerative disc disease, arthritis, status post spinal fusion and service connection for right and left lower extremity femoral and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

The appeal for service connection for allergic conjunctivitis was dismissed as the benefit sought on appeal had been granted in full.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for left ankle and back disabilities based on clear and unmistakable error in a June 1984 rating decision.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the service-connected back disability and an effective date of July 7, 2015, for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition, to include chronic low back pain and lumbar strain, but denied service connection for tuberculosis.

The Board denied all initial rating claims for various disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for back, right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability due to individual unemployability based on a single disability for special monthly compensation purposes, as there was no evidence that any single service-connected condition or combination of conditions rendered him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment.

The Veteran's request for Higher-Level Review of the denial of his claims was untimely and therefore denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis and cervical spine disability to allow the AOJ to obtain adequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's disabilities.