Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining relevant medical records and conducting adequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder remains at the current 50 percent rating.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, osteoarthritis (claimed as a chronic pain disability), back disability, fibromyalgia, and migraine headaches. The evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service herbicide agent exposure or any other in-service disease or injury.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right median nerve and carpal tunnel syndrome was granted with a 30 percent rating effective August 8, 2023. The Board also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition, but remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral eye condition, hypertension, DVT, and prostate cancer.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an initial 70 percent rating, effective December 2022.,Left great ingrown toenail residuals were denied a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS, GERD, a right knee condition, and a low back condition are granted. The claim for service connection for a left knee condition is remanded.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 10, 2021, for the Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility based on his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied because the Board found that he had substantially gainful employment during the period of the appeal, despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in duty to assist, and a need for a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability is not causally or etiologically related to his service or service-connected bilateral pes planus and left knee degenerative arthritis, and thus denied both direct and secondary service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder is related to service and granted.,Service connection for a TBI and migraines, as secondary to the claimed TBI, are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in effective dates of March 18, 2020 for various disability ratings and benefits. The earlier effective date claims are granted, while the service connection claim for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including peritoneal adhesions and small bowel obstructions, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment as of March 5, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for a cervical spine disorder and thoracolumbar spine disorder due to lack of evidence raising secondary service connection.,Service connection is denied for right knee, left knee, and thoracolumbar spine disorders as there is no current diagnosis related to these conditions during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disability and psychiatric disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran passed away before the Board could make a decision on her service connection claims for rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome. Her appeal is dismissed due to her death.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral and sciatic nerves), was not found to warrant a higher rating during the review period. The effective date for these ratings is December 29, 2021.

The Board has remanded the cases of lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, and jaw injury for further evaluation due to an inadequate opinion in the August 2024 VA examination.