Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's Degenerative Disc Disease is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis with L3-L5 disc herniation (lumbar disability), left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board found that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's low back condition, left knee strain, right knee strain, and presbyopia are all granted service connection. The claim for increased evaluation of sarcoidosis is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology is not established, and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all the listed conditions before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and failure to consider all relevant evidence. The issues of back condition, head injury residuals, and right ankle condition are being reviewed again.

The Board has determined that an effective date of March 31, 2011 is granted for the award of service connection for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent and TDIU remains before VA.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant records and providing an adequate etiological opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and incomplete evidence. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disabilities, hypertension, cardiovascular disability, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Board dismissed the issues of service connection for lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy, right lower extremity, sciatic nerve, and rotator cuff tear, glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, left shoulder as they were already granted in a previous decision.

The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA care provided at Mercy Health Saint Ritas Medical Center LLC on May 14, 2021 is granted due to the timely filing and eligibility under 38 U.S.C. § 1728.

The Veteran's left hip disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of extension, and his lumbosacral strain is rated at 10 percent. The Board has determined that neither condition warrants a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including incomplete medical opinions and failure to obtain relevant records such as ROTC personnel records.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a higher rating for migraine headaches.,The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of PTSD with alcohol use disorder is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical dysplasia, acquired psychiatric disorder, and low back condition is denied. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a low back condition are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to duty-to-assist errors, and will need to provide an addendum opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's back disability had its onset during or is otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for a right knee, left knee instability with meniscal tear persistent instability, and lumbar spine disabilities were granted effective October 27, 2023.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The appeal of the duty to assist error for the claim of entitlement to service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no prior unadjudicated claim found in the record. The issue of TDIU was not raised until after a final rating decision on service connection for PTSD and TBI.