Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a lower back condition, left elbow condition, and bilateral ankle conditions as the evidence was at least in approximate balance regarding their etiological relation to active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the right shoulder, back disability, left leg amputation, type II diabetes mellitus, and rotary nystagmus. The Veteran's claims were not supported by credible evidence.

The Veteran requested the withdrawal of all issues currently on appeal, and the Board dismissed the appeals.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability to correct an error by the RO and ensure proper development of the evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a neck strain and obstructive sleep apnea, as there was no evidence of these conditions during the pendency of the claim or approximate thereto. The claims for other conditions were remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal, and all issues on appeal have been dismissed.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the low back condition from September 24, 2024, and increased ratings of 20 percent each for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy impacting the sciatic and femoral nerves starting February 16, 2021.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee tendonitis and lumbosacral myositis with lumbar disc degeneration, as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.

The Board granted separate initial ratings of 20 percent for right and left knee tendonitis with arthritis based on limitation of flexion, granted a 10 percent rating for right and left knee instability, and granted an initial rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with curvature of the spine and degenerative disc disease (DDD) and right lower extremity sciatica.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain prior to February 24, 2015, and the claim for an increased rating in excess of 40 percent was denied.

The appeal for service connection for a back disability was withdrawn by the Veteran before the Board made a decision.

The Board granted service connection for headaches and tinnitus, but remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral hand disability, a bilateral knee/leg disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, a heart disability, and a back disability.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and denied service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the criteria provided.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder but denied it for obstructive sleep apnea and right hand neuropathy. The claims for left hip sprain and lumbosacral strain were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disorder, gout, hypertension, a left hand disorder, and type II diabetes mellitus due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence supports an active duty onset of the Veteran's lower back symptoms and their chronicity from active duty to the present.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss and service connection for right foot, left foot, lumbar spine, and right lower extremity radiculopathy conditions.

The Board remands all service connection claims for further development, including obtaining personnel records and a retirement credit summary to determine the Veteran's eligible active service periods.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, right wrist strain, and left wrist strain. The appeal of the deferred issue of entitlement to service connection for GERD was dismissed. Other issues were remanded.