Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for tinnitus, low back disorder, right wrist disorder, left wrist disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete or inaccurate factual premises in previous opinions.

The Veteran's back and neck disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that the VA examinations conducted in November 2024 were inadequate. The case is being remanded to schedule new examinations for a more accurate assessment of the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for back condition was denied in a June 1996 Board decision. The Veteran filed an intent to file a claim form and submitted a formal application on August 30, 2023, which resulted in the award of service connection with an initial rating of 40% effective from that date.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right and left knee conditions, as well as mild degenerative disc disease due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding causation.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disorder, bilateral lower extremity disorders, plantar fasciitis, back pain, and IBS. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of in-service incurrence or a causal link to service.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of April 29, 2008 for the assignment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The Board found that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment since April 29, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with congenital L5-S1 sacralization is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the prior medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, and left hip arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a left hip disability and back disability, as they are related to service-connected right hip disabilities. The VA will need to provide additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted as service connection due to continuity and chronicity since it began in service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted increased evaluations, with the lumbosacral strain receiving a 20 percent evaluation and the radiculopathy also receiving a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral ankle disabilities as secondary to his already service-connected left knee disability and bilateral pes planus, based on the benefit of doubt rule.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left leg shin splints and lower back disorder due to new evidence received by the Veteran. The VA will conduct further examinations and consider any additional evidence before making a decision.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a back disability is granted as new evidence supports the link between his in-service injury and current condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for his service-connected right knee scar was withdrawn by the Veteran and his authorized representative.,The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for migraine headaches, service connection for a lower back condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee condition, service connection for a right hip condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee condition, and service connection for a right lower extremity nerve condition as secondary to the Veteran's claimed lower back condition.

The Board has denied a higher rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and has remanded his claims of service connection for left and right hip disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's hearing loss is related to service and the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claims for service connection for a disorder manifested by bumps with shaving, a back disorder, a left knee condition, right knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right shoulder disorder are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the propriety of the reduction in evaluation of his service-connected back disability, and the Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and an initial rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) have been granted. The issue of total disability based on individual unemployability is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to November 21, 2020, for the award of service connection for tinnitus is dismissed. Service connection for psychiatric disability and back disability are granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities.