Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for increased ratings and a compensable rating for various conditions, as these issues were deferred by the AOJ and not yet final.

The Board remands the claims for service connection of various joint conditions as secondary to residuals of thyroidectomy and partial parathyroidectomy status post papillary thyroid cancer due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome based on the Veteran's continuous symptoms since service.

The Board remands the claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for lumbosacral strain to include thoracic and lumbar degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, as well as left knee strain osteoarthritis, instability, and limitation of flexion.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased rating for knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, and SMC based on aid and attendance and/or housebound criteria due to an impermissible concurrent election.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, left ankle sprain, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spinal fusion based on the evidence of record.

The Board granted service connection for headaches and a lumbar spine disability, as well as earlier effective dates of April 19, 2022, for the award of service connection for left and right knee patellar tendinitis.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder and assigned an initial 30 percent disability rating for onychomycosis of the feet, but denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a neck injury, left shoulder injury, and low back injury as the evidence did not support that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for a lower back injury and left tendinitis to ensure that the RO applies the correct standard in evaluating new and relevant evidence and provides an adequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis but denied service connection for right and left foot disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no basis for an earlier grant of benefits.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The claims were denied as the evidence did not support that these conditions were related to the Veteran's service or secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and left bicep tendon rupture disability.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome in the right and left upper extremities, but denied it for a neck disability. The 20 percent rating for low back disability was restored, and initial ratings of 20 percent were granted for sciatica affecting both lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, GERD, a low back disability, and a right knee disability as the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities related to active service.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for service connection for a headache disability, bilateral hearing loss, back, left hip, right hip, left knee, right knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's low back disability, while significantly disabling, does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 40 percent.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied service connection for the other claimed conditions, remanding several claims for further development.