Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine spondylosis as aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, and also granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the degenerative joint disease from April 18, 2024.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, hemorrhoids, and a thoracic spine disorder. Service connection was granted for hypertension, and an initial rating of 30 percent was assigned for irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for adjustment disorder, to include mixed anxiety with depressed mood and insomnia disorder, but denied a higher rating for lumbar anterior fusion. The claims for service connection for right knee strain and left knee meniscal tear were remanded.

The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition due to incomplete service records and the need for further development, including obtaining line of duty determinations.

The Board denied service connection for GERD, a left knee condition, a right knee condition, a lumbar spine condition, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, OSA, and ED as the evidence did not show that these conditions were related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinnitus, gastrointestinal issues, foot pain, hand scars, shin splints, migraines, thoracolumbar spine condition, and respiratory condition, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and denied a compensable evaluation for hypertension. The low back disability claim was remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding its relation to the Veteran's in-service back pain.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for lumbar spondylosis and service connection for tinnitus, while denying increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral plantar fasciitis, and denying service connections for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and a cervical spine disorder, but denied an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for respiratory conditions, hearing loss, and increased ratings for thoracolumbar strain with DJD and IVDS, left ankle sprain (claimed as ankle condition), and conjunctivitis with chlamydia (claimed as eye condition, left).

The Board granted a 70 percent initial evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and TDIU, but remanded claims for service connection for diabetes, lumbar condition, cervical condition, lung condition, and left and right lower extremity neuropathy.

The Board denied service connection for a foot disability (claimed as flat feet) due to the lack of evidence establishing the presence of a current disability. The low back and headaches claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for GERD, anxiety, and hypertension. The low back pain issue was remanded.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, which include rheumatoid arthritis affecting multiple joints and other conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lower back condition, left ear hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates and a compensable rating, as there was no evidence of an informal or formal claim prior to September 27, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability and remanded the claim for headaches, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between the Veteran's in-service activities and his current conditions.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability from December 2, 2019 to June 15, 2021 on an extraschedular basis.