Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and back disabilities to correct pre-decisional errors in the AOJ's efforts to assist the appellant with the development of her claims.

The appeal for service connection for acquired psychological disorders was dismissed, while service connection was granted for allergic rhinitis and pain of the left shoulder, lumbar spine, and cervical and cervicothoracic regions. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied, as well as a higher rating for chronic sinusitis.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent disability rating for the right thoracic nerve condition, effective September 10, 2019. The lower back claim was remanded.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, and right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the lumbar spine condition.

The appeal to readjudicate service connection for a back disability was denied due to the lack of new and relevant evidence. The Board also remanded the claim for service connection for a skin condition, to include psoriasis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability, respiratory disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder to allow for additional development of evidence.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, to include degenerative arthritis and resulting radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for an eating disorder and remanded the claims for headaches, hair loss, sore gums, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fatigue, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, foot disability, and low back disability for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for lumbosacral and thoracic strains due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied an increased rating for thoracolumbar strain but granted a compensable rating for GERD, and denied service connection for left knee strain and bilateral knee arthritis.

The Board granted the claim for accrued benefits for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to the Veteran's service-connected back condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and service connection for sleep apnea, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the prior rating decisions and no evidence linking the sleep apnea to service or a service-connected disability.

The appeal was dismissed because the Veteran did not timely file a Board Appeal request and no good cause was shown for the late filing.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and special benefits, finding no evidence of worsening conditions within a year prior to June 9, 2023.

The Board granted an effective date of November 1, 2022 for the award of a 30 percent evaluation for migraine and migraine variants but denied earlier effective dates for the TBI and lumbosacral strain claims.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and a higher disability rating for lumbar strain, as well as service connection for eczema and a right hip condition.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active service or any incident of service.

The Board denied service connection for a tailbone fracture and remanded the claims for service connection for a low back pain disorder, De Quervain's syndrome of the right wrist and hand, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to a pre-decisional error in failing to provide the Veteran with a VA mental disorders examination and not obtaining complete VA treatment records.