Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for TMJ, low back disability, and right knee disability due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions and verifying periods of active duty.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was denied. The appeal is also denied as the evidence does not support a higher evaluation for the back condition, or a separate rating based on another diagnostic code.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right foot conditions, back condition, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left ankle strain, and right ankle strain. These conditions are considered to be directly related to his active military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and denied service connection for this condition. The low back disorder issue is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10% and femoral nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are both rated at 10%. The effective dates for these ratings have been set to March 11, 2012.,An earlier effective date of March 11, 2012, has been granted for the award of separate 10% ratings for femoral nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective June 20, 2023.,Effective March 11, 2012, the Veteran was granted separate 10 percent ratings for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of both the right and left lower extremities. The effective dates were extended to May 2, 2016, for the lumbar spine scars.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is remanded due to failure to obtain a contemporaneous VA examination prior to the December 2020 rating decision.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted a 20 percent rating, effective from September 7, 2004. He also receives TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has remanded all issues on appeal due to a failure by the RO to provide notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection due to untimeliness of his Notice of Disagreement (NOD) regarding left hip disability. The claim for lumbar spine disability was denied as there is no evidence showing a link between the condition and active service.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective from the date of this decision. The low back scar is rated with a separate 10 percent for pain.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain and right knee strain due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to address these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder condition and remanded the issues of rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease with spondylosis, spinal stenosis and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cause of death is determined to be causally related to his service-connected Degenerative Disc Disease and Degenerative Joint Disease, leading to a liver biopsy. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's seizure disorder is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues of increased ratings for ankle and lumbar spine conditions, as well as sleep-wake disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his exposure to hazardous noises during active service, and he has a current disability for VA purposes. The Veteran is granted service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's lumbar strain is related to injuries sustained during active service. He is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities effective January 3, 2014.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including headache disorder, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction (ED), neck disability, bilateral upper extremity nerve condition, back disability, and bilateral lower extremity nerve condition. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected GERD. The claim for an increased rating for cervical spine disability remains pending and requires further development.