Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition due to or aggravated by service-connected left and right ankle conditions, as well as service connection for bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy due to or aggravated by the same back condition.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric, lumbar spine, cervical spine, and right shoulder disabilities make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left hip strain, back disability, and left ankle sprain due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities or a link between service and these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is presumed to have been incurred during active duty. The back, neck, left shoulder, and right shoulder conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has restored the original disability ratings for the Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine disabilities, as these reductions were improper due to inadequate examinations and lack of evidence showing actual improvement in the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with effective dates set for various benefits and service connection determinations. The Veteran received increased ratings for her cluster headaches and sciatic radiculopathy RLE, as well as service connection for fibromyalgia and IBS on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee disorders, finding that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disorders (pes planus and plantar fasciitis).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his mitral valve regurgitation, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and hypertension, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As such, TDIU is granted.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, right hip condition, bilateral knee condition, middle/lower back condition, anemia, respiratory condition, hyperlipidemia, and benign prostate hypertrophy. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis (DDD) based on a finding that his current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and associated bilateral lower radiculopathies have been found to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment for the duration of the period on appeal, leading to a TDIU. An effective date of May 18, 2007, is granted for DEA benefits based on permanent total disability due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's SMC at the (o) rate is granted as he requires aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right breast gynecomastia did not result in significantly disabling impairment of the skin and is therefore denied an initial compensable rating.,There is no evidence of a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is also denied as there was no showing of a relationship between the Veteran's military noise exposure and his current hearing loss.,The Veteran's claimed left finger disability did not have its onset during active service and is therefore not service connected.,Similarly, the right finger disability did not have its onset during active service and is also not service connected.,Lumbosacral strain, left elbow disability, and right elbow disability are all denied as there was no showing of a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.,Left wrist sprain is also denied as it did not have its onset during active service and is not otherwise etiologically related to such service.

The Veteran's IBS and GERD have been granted service connection as they are found to be related to his service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood with insomnia.,Lumbosacral strain, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve), and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) have been remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left foot condition has been dismissed due to a duty to assist error.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate medical examination, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for a recurrent lumbar spine disability is being sent back for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for kyphosis with thoracolumbar strain and bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him totally unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to October 21, 2022. Therefore, an effective date earlier than October 21, 2022 for the award of a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis and stenosis of the cervical spine are granted service connection as they are related to parachute jumps during active-duty service.