Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for squamous cell cancer and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, service connection for implanted cardiac pacemaker, and several other conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support an increase in disability or a link to service.

The Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, lumbosacral strain, and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions. The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of right ankle fracture and a rating in excess of 60 percent for the service-connected heart condition. The Board also denied a compensable disability rating for residual scar of the anterior trunk mid sternum status post coronary artery bypass graft.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD and remanded the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, a back disability, and sinusitis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including a back condition, right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, neck condition, upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral flatfoot, right foot plantar fasciitis, and right ankle pain, as the current evidence is inadequate to make a decision.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease due to a duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence in the negative nexus opinions provided.

The Board denied the claims for an initial compensable rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss, service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, and a left eye disorder. However, it granted service connection for a back disability and radiculopathy of both lower extremities as secondary to the back disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for back, left wrist, left and right knee, and left and right shoulder conditions due to missing personnel records and an inadequate VA medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for Crohn's disease and denied service connection for a right knee condition, left knee condition, and low back condition.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, prostate disability, and kidney cancer due to inadequate medical opinions and potential outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's current disability had its clinical onset during his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to the disabilities, and no evidence that the disabilities were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the right ankle disability, but remanded claims for service connection for sinusitis and back disability.

The appeal is dismissed due to res judicata, as the issues were previously adjudicated and are now barred from further review.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied increased ratings for left shoulder, right knee, and left knee replacement conditions. However, the Board granted a 10 percent rating for the left knee scar and a 30 percent rating for the lumbar spine degenerative joint disease.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings of the Veteran's lumbar spine and right ankle disabilities to correct an error by the AOJ in satisfying the regulatory duty to provide the Veteran with notice of his right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, recurrent right and left shoulder rotator cuff tear residuals, right and left total knee replacement residuals, and right and left foot plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.

The Veteran was awarded service connection for allergic rhinitis based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2022, is not warranted.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and a neck disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities were incurred in active service.