Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The veteran's service connection for a low back disorder, including degenerative arthritis and disc disease, is granted. The decision is based on the presumption of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, low back disability, and right shoulder disability were denied. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, and high blood pressure were remanded.

Service connection for hyperhidrosis was granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. Service connection for depression and bilateral athletes' foot was denied. Other issues were remanded.

The veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective April 5, 2022. The case is remanded for consideration of TDIU prior to this date.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's low back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability.

Service connection for tinea pedis, tinea interdigitum, eczema, and dermatitis is granted. Service connection for lumbar spine disability, right foot injury, left foot injury, and residuals of a right ankle abscess with cellulitis is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an effective date earlier than February 9, 2018, for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc disease. The decision is based on the procedural history and legal framework governing effective dates.

The appeal for a higher rating for lumbosacral spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative joint disease was dismissed because the veteran's attorney withdrew it.

The Board remanded all issues to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction for further development, including VA examinations.

The Board remanded the claim for service connection of a lumbar spine condition because conflicting medical opinions were given. A new VA medical opinion is needed to clarify whether the condition preexisted service and was not permanently aggravated by service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied. Effective dates for asthma, right shoulder strain, and left shoulder strain were granted starting from October 9, 2020. Claims for earlier effective dates for tinea versicolor and pseudofolliculitis barbae, and higher ratings for cervical spine strain and lumbosacral spine strain with arthritis were denied. Claims for right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, and individual unemployability were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's lumbar spine disorder, finding no evidence of a service-related cause.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of cervical and lumbar spine disabilities. The Board found that further VA examinations are needed to determine the relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date and higher ratings for some conditions but remanded decisions on other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's degenerative disc and joint disease, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board remanded the claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disorder, including degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis. The Veteran's contention is that his lower back pain is due to injuries sustained during service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a recurrent left ankle injury is granted. Other claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted. The claim for a cervical spine disability, including as secondary to a service-connected disability, was remanded for further evaluation.

The Board remanded the veteran's claim for an increased rating due to inadequate medical examinations. The veteran will receive new evaluations.

The Board vacated its previous decisions and remanded the issues for further consideration. The Veteran's request for a hearing was not granted.