Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a lower back disability before the Board could make a decision. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent, and he was granted higher ratings for his sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities as well as his femoral nerve radiculopathy. He also received a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbosacral disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has decided to remand this case due to a duty-to-assist error in not considering the ameliorative effects of medication on his symptoms.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain (back pain), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The claims for lumbosacral strain and GERD are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the appellant's tinnitus had its onset during active service and is not attributable to any intercurrent causes. Service connection for low back pain was denied as there is no current diagnosis of a low back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral shin splints, and knee injuries, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 9, 2019. The Board has granted TDIU on this basis.

The Board has granted service connection for right foot posttraumatic arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, multilevel spondylosis. The conditions are deemed to be related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's initial disability rating for his back disability is granted at a 40 percent level, effective October 6, 2023. The decision also grants entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's right knee, lumbar spine, and radiculopathy disabilities are currently rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations. The Board finds no basis to grant higher ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the November 2024 VA medical opinion. The Board requires an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician to determine if the condition had onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Board has decided to remand all of the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disability and denied his claim for service connection. The claims for lumbosacral strain and left ankle sprain are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted as incurred in service, and the claim for PTSD is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claims for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's low back disability.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, cervical cancer, and left ear hearing loss due to lack of in-service injury or disease, no current diagnosis, and insufficient evidence.,Service connection was not granted for cervical cancer as the Veteran did not have a confirmed diagnosis at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues due to a lack of medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities of PTSD, traumatic brain injury, thoracolumbar strain, bilateral knee disabilities, and obesity.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the October 1, 2025 request for an extension of time to file an appeal from a previous rating decision denying service connection for back condition, left and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome was not timely filed.