Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, cervical and lumbar spine conditions, and vertigo, require regular aid and attendance from his wife due to limitations in mobility and cognitive function. The Board has determined that the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance have been met.

The Board has granted restoration of a 20% disability rating for lumbosacral strain, effective October 28, 2023. The claim for service connection for respiratory disabilities including obstructive sleep apnea and allergic rhinitis is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on his back and left knee conditions has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and thus failing to meet the second element of service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, low back disability, and right knee disability due to insufficient evidence or inadequate reasoning in previous decisions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 12, 2021 for the assignment of a 70 percent disability rating for recurrent major depressive disorder is granted. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for chronic diarrhea has been dismissed as the decision was not final and appealable.,The appeals for higher ratings for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and tinnitus have all been dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD).,Service connection for right ear hearing loss has not been established as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA's definition of hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was granted effective April 27, 2016. The TDIU is based on the combined disability ratings of his service-connected conditions: lumbar radiculopathy rated at 40%, migraine headaches rated at 30%, and hemorrhoids rated at noncompensable.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee condition and lumbar strain, finding that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot hallux valgus, left foot hallux valgus, and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

New and relevant evidence has been received regarding the previously denied matters of service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder, knee, ankle, hip, lower back, upper back, neck, and pes planus. The claims are being readjudicated.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence does not support a link to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims of increased ratings for bilateral knee conditions and service connection for a lumbar spine condition due to inadequate examinations and failure to provide secondary service connection opinions.

The Board has denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for obstructive sleep apnea and has remanded the issues regarding lumbar spine disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, bladder and/or bowel disorder related to the lumbar spine disability, and service connection for PFB. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence or undergo examinations as directed.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is found to be caused by his service-connected right knee disability, and thus he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches was denied. The claim for service connection for a thoracic lumbar spine condition was also denied, but the claim for cervical spine arthritis is remanded and will be reconsidered by the RO.

Your appeal for service connection of a back condition has been dismissed because your request to review the decision was not valid due to concurrent election.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and secondary service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a dental disability, left knee pain, or lumbar disability as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection in all five issues, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The appeal for the right hip condition is dismissed as it has been withdrawn. The claims of low back disability, bilateral knee disability, BLE radiculopathy, and left shoulder condition are denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence.