Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The claim will be reviewed again with new evidence and an updated opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased initial disability rating for his newly service-connected lumbosacral strain due to duty-to-assist errors in prior VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot condition, right foot condition, and low back condition due to a lack of current diagnoses and insufficient evidence linking these conditions to active service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for chest pain, bilateral hearing loss, a back disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, vitamin deficiency, and tinnitus. The AOJ must provide the Veteran with notice of her right to a hearing before the AOJ and readjudicate the claims in light of all evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims seeking to revise or reverse the October 2008 rating decision that denied service connection for low back disability and associated radiculopathies, finding no CUE.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are now rated at 50 percent effective August 16, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence received since the last rating decision.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and hypertension have been remanded due to inadequate examinations and the need to obtain private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including asthma, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, GERD, migraine headaches, diabetes, psychiatric disabilities (adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression), PTSD, plantar fasciitis, left knee disability, and low back disability due to a lack of current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, right lower radiculopathy, and left lower radiculopathy due to his service-connected inguinal hernia have been denied. The claim for a compensable rating for the left inguinal hernia surgical scar has also been denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of proper notice and an inadequate medical opinion, which may affect eligibility for PCAFC benefits. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are noted but no rating or effective date is provided.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome were denied due to untimely filing of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, right hip degenerative arthritis, and right knee condition as secondary to his service-connected depression.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct the pre-decisional duty to assist error identified in the March 2014 VA examination, which did not comply with the requirements of Sharp and Correia. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine will be remanded for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in notification and medical opinion, which may affect eligibility for benefits under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, acne, hernia disability, bowel disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and lumbosacral strain as there is no persuasive evidence to support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current degenerative disc disease and arthritis are related to his active duty service.,Service connection was also granted for right foot pain, left foot hammer toes, and right foot hammer toes. The Board found these conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, back disability, and left ankle disability prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain is secondary to his service-connected bilateral flat feet, but a remand is required to obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing whether the flat feet aggravated the lumbosacral strain.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine and upper extremity disabilities, including arthritis of the arms and neck. The issues of TDIU have been dismissed as moot.