Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding no credible evidence of continuity of symptomatology or onset within one year of separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within the applicable presumptive period and no credible evidence of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board remands the issue of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, right knee arthralgia, and lumbosacral strain. The Board granted a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches and a 10 percent rating for right knee instability.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar disability and a left knee condition based on the Veteran's consistent reports of symptoms beginning during active duty service in 1984.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for increased evaluations of the Veteran's tension headaches, cervical strain, thoracolumbar strain, and radiculopathies based on factually ascertainable worsening within one year prior to the claims.

The Board denied service connection for a leg length discrepancy claimed as left leg longer than right leg and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a back disability, to include lumbosacral strain and lumbago with right-sided sciatica.

The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain status post discectomy with degenerative disc disease and separate ratings of 20 percent each for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves.

The Board denied service connection for an eye condition, an earlier effective date for hypertension, and a compensable initial rating for hypertension. The back condition was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or condition related to his current back pain.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's low back condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and left hip conditions as there was no evidence of a worsening of symptoms beyond what was shown at the September 2023 VA examination.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain associated with DDD from L5 to S1 with IVDS, effective March 17, 2020, and denied an earlier effective date for the right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for coccyx chronic pain/residuals of fracture, low back strain, and bilateral hearing loss as the probative evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or due to active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, finding no persuasive evidence that the criteria for increased evaluations were met prior to the respective claim or examination dates.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from March 1, 2021, and an effective date of March 1, 2021, for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease with traumatic arthritis is granted a 30 percent rating, but no higher.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right leg disability (including radiculopathy), and left leg disability (including radiculopathy) as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board remands the matter for additional development as there has not been substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board remands the claims for higher ratings for back, neck, and left knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.