Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and digestive system disability, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for various conditions, finding no evidence of a valid intent to file prior to May 17, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, a lumbar spine disability manifested by low back pain, and left knee osteoarthritis.

The Board granted a higher initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and scoliosis, but remanded the other issues.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's election of a higher-level review, which precludes concurrent Board review.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, psychiatric disability, and right foot third digit ingrown toenail. The left ear and upper respiratory disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral spine intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for a right wrist scar and limitation of extension of the left knee.

The Board denied several claims for increased ratings and service connection, while granting a 30% rating for herpes simplex labialis and service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, cervical spine, lumbar spine disability (including IVDS), right ankle, and right knee based on the evidence of record.

The Board granted service connection for asthma but denied service connection for chronic bronchitis and stable angina. Migraine headaches, bilateral hypermetropia, hypertension, a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and cervical spine disability claims were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for right eye vitreous degeneration, right ankle disability, foot pain, and low back condition as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and remanded the claim for further development regarding a pulmonary disorder.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal before the Board, and all pending issues have been dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, neck condition, left hamstrings condition, right hamstrings condition, blurry vision, and vertigo (also claimed as giddiness) because there was no evidence of current disabilities or an in-service injury that caused the conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to or caused by the Veteran's military service.

The Board remands the claim for a new examination to address muscle spasms and their impact on gait, as these are necessary for an increased rating.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's headache disability, but remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a low back condition.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, as currently diagnosed, related to in-service military sexual trauma (MST).

The Board denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings of 30 percent for chronic asthma, 40 percent for early osteoarthritic change of the lumbosacral spine at L3-4 (lower back), and 20 percent for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as there was no evidence showing that the criteria for these ratings were met prior to April 24, 2024.

The appeal was dismissed due to a claims processing error of erroneous docketing.