Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder and denied service connection for back, left knee, and right knee disorders. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is found to have its origins in service.

The Veteran's right ankle, left ankle, and low back disabilities are granted service connection. The claims for bilateral hip and knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, finding no evidence of a cervical spine disability in service or a nexus to service. The right shoulder disability was rated at 20%.

The Veteran's service connection for IVDS, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and bilateral knee osteoarthritis is granted. Secondary service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition as secondary to these conditions is also granted. The Veteran's sinusitis is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's back disability, to include mild disc herniation T5 to T11, degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than IVDS, and spinal stenosis. Additionally, the Board requested an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities aggravated his back condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation of his service connection claims for left knee condition, right knee condition, lumbosacral condition, asthma, and GERD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The appeal is remanded for further review of some issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for viral labyrinthitis, bilateral knee strains, lumbar strain, cervical strain, and pulmonary embolism due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis with sacroiliitis, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy were granted effective October 14, 2008. The issues of TDIU and DEA are remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it was incurred in or related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, finding that the criteria were not met to grant these benefits prior to the specified dates. The TDIU claim was denied as there was no evidence showing other service-connected disabilities contributed to his inability to work during the relevant period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left shoulder condition, a lower back condition, and tinnitus due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for his lumbar spine disability from 40% to 40%, effective August 31, 2020. The reduction was improper due to lack of actual improvement in the Veteran's condition.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, finding no link between the current condition and military service.,The Board also denied service connection for a left shoulder condition, noting that there were no post-service treatment records showing treatment of the condition within one year of active military service.

The Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred in service and is not presumed to have been incurred in service.,For the entire appeal period, ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine or intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes are not shown nor were they diagnosed.,Voiding dysfunction at most is manifested by nocturia occurring three to four times per night and daytime voiding between two to three hours.,There is no treatment for an active recurrence of vocal cord cancer during the appeal period, and there is no evidence of residuals of vocal cord cancer to include treatment therefor.,The service-connected adjustment disorder does not more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment.,The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities for the entire appeal period.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left hip disability does not meet the criteria for service connection. The low back disability is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back, neck, left hip, right hip, and right shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions and potential errors in duty to assist.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU from May 19, 2017 to June 4, 2017 as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent right hip injury residuals with osteoarthritis, recurrent left hip injury residuals including osteoarthritis and total hip replacement residuals, left knee osteoarthritis, and lumbosacral spine osteoarthritis. The diagnoses are related to the Veteran's in-service aircraft accident.