Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and major depressive disorder (MDD), but denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a right shoulder disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for osteomyelitis, a back disability, and a neck disability as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active military service or presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for anxiety due to a concurrent election of review options, denied service connection for GERD, and remanded the claim for lumbosacral strain for further evidence.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to afford the Veteran an additional VA medical opinion regarding the direct theory of service connection.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a left clavicle/shoulder disability, low back disability, and left knee disability to schedule VA examinations.

The appeal of the proposed reduction in the rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease was dismissed as it is not a final action.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for increased ratings due to a need for additional development, including VA examinations and clarification of the Veteran's wishes regarding his claims.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease as secondary to sleep apnea and denied the other claims on appeal.

The Board remands the service connection claims for hearing loss, right index finger disability, low back disability, left and right hip disabilities, and left and right knee disabilities to provide the Veteran with proper notice of his right to a hearing before the AOJ.

The appeal seeking service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board granted service connection for atopic dermatitis, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and dextroscoliosis, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to address the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for cardiomyopathy and heart murmur with coronary artery disease, denied a compensable rating for hypertension, and denied an increased rating for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of October 21, 2019, for the lumbar strain disability and denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the same condition.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's current low back disability had its onset during his military service with continuity of symptoms since such time.

The Board remands the claim for a back disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion on the current nature and likely etiology of the condition.

The Board granted a 50% disability rating for the Veteran's back disability, denied higher ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and denied a higher rating for tinnitus. The Veteran was also granted TDIU from February 16, 2021 to November 6, 2023, and an earlier effective date for DEA benefits.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals is remanding the claims for further development to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.