Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability, including lumbar spine osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis L3 - L5, and grade 1 L4 on L5 spondylolisthesis. The decision is based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination for a proper assessment of the lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 50 percent, which corresponds to unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

Service connection for a back condition is granted.,Service connection for PTSD is dismissed as the claim has already been granted with an effective date of April 26, 2017.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left hip disability as secondary to his service-connected back disability, with an initial 10 percent evaluation effective November 11, 2019.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 29, 2011 for the award of a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's back condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to consider additional evidence submitted after the initial rating decisions.,Service connection claims for a left knee disability, lumbosacral spine disability, and lower extremity neuropathies require further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disability or any rating above 10 percent for his right and left lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis, hypertension, a back condition, bilateral knee conditions, headaches, and a left shoulder condition were dismissed due to untimely appeals filed more than one year after the original denial.,The Veteran's appeal of his claim for service connection for hypertension was also dismissed as it involved concurrent review elections that created multiple appeal streams.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring the RO to obtain retrospective medical evidence and schedule an examination for the period between 2008 and 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine condition did not begin in service and is not otherwise related to his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for SMC based on a need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected PTSD, as his disabilities do not render him helpless or in need of regular aid and assistance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition and a cervical spine condition are granted. The claim for posttraumatic stress disorder is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and intervertebral disc disorder with right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals as untimely, and no service connection was granted or denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development to obtain relevant VA treatment records and provide updated medical opinions. The appellant's thoracolumbar spine disability, as well as associated radiculopathy of both lower extremities, are still under review.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and a bilateral shoulder disability, finding no current disabilities were established and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and a back disability. The AOJ is required to readjudicate these claims on their merits.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and his scar, midline back, is rated as noncompensable. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.