Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gastrointestinal disability including GERD with esophagitis, left hip disability, and lower back disability. The claim for right eye condition (claimed as migraines) is being remanded.,The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as they prevent prolonged standing and walking.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to untimely filing of the Board Appeal requests. The appeal was dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar disability is related to his service-connected knee disabilities and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and upper extremity, bilateral kidney condition, right shoulder condition, lower back condition, anxiety, bilateral foot condition, right knee condition, diabetes mellitus, type II, headaches, gum condition, hypertension, blood disorder, and tinnitus. The case is remanded for further examination regarding a left ankle condition.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities were denied as they did not become manifest during service or for many years thereafter, and there is no evidence of a nexus to service.,The Veteran's back disability was remanded due to the need for further review.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a failure to obtain complete service treatment records, which may provide evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current back disability did not begin during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and low back disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred during or related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis and a back disorder due to duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining SSA records and VistA imaging records. A medical opinion is also needed regarding whether the Veteran's multiple sclerosis was incurred in service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, finding moderate severity symptoms throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, kidney stones, lumbosacral strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied as there is no current evidence showing a disability meeting VA's criteria.

The Veteran withdrew all pending appeals, including those for increased ratings and service connection claims. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a chronic lower back condition due to pre-decisional error in scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran was not provided with adequate notice and opportunity to attend an examination, which is necessary to determine if his current disability is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain, and hypertension due to insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis or causal relationship.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee, back, tinnitus, and hearing loss, did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from April 21, 2021 to April 21, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and effective dates have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.