Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, hypertension, and migraine headaches to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) but denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, and the reduction in the rating of lumbosacral strain with IVDS from 40 percent to 20 percent was not proper; the 40 percent rating is restored effective September 18, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed the claims for an earlier effective date and a left lower extremity sciatic nerve disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's motion to revise or reverse a September 2000 rating decision that granted service connection for nonspecific musculoligamentous low back strain and assigned a noncompensable rating, finding no clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded issues related to migraine headaches, lumbosacral strain, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of CUE in the July 6, 2021 rating decision that denied service connection for a bilateral hand condition, a bilateral knee condition, and a low back condition.

The Board granted service connection for hemorrhoids and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease to include spinal canal stenosis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board dismissed several claims for earlier effective dates and entitlement to TDIU and temporary total evaluation due to procedural defects in the Veteran's appeal.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as they are related to a service-connected psychiatric disability. The back and tinnitus claims were remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 1, 2018, for the award of service connection for radiculopathy, right lower extremity, was granted. The appeal for an earlier effective date for TDIU was dismissed as moot.

The appeal of the proposed reduction in ratings for lumbosacral strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy was dismissed due to procedural errors.

The Board grants the Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on his service-connected conditions, including PTSD with TBI residuals, headaches, low back conditions with left lower extremity radiculopathy, and tinnitus.

The appeal for service connection for a back disability and neck disability was dismissed as moot, with full benefits granted. Other claims were remanded for further review.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and a neck disability, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, but denied an increased disability rating for the Veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus with post-traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board remands several issues for further development, including service connection claims and an earlier effective date claim.

The Board granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied increased ratings for the lumbar spine condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, earlier effective dates, and special monthly compensation.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's low back disability and right foot pes planus with degenerative joint disease of the navicular bone, dismissed earlier effective date claims, and remanded service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for a neck and low back disability as the evidence did not support a positive nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.