Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected lumbar stenosis and DDD status post-laminectomy with cervical scars, and for a compensable disability rating for scars status-post laminectomy are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for high blood pressure is remanded as there was insufficient evidence to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine or neck disability, and for a prostate disability are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to December 5, 2024, for the grant of service connection for left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathies.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions, including PTSD, left lower extremity neurologic disorder, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal osteoarthritis, and bowel incontinence.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, tinnitus, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the September 2008 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his neck and back disabilities due to inadequate pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the March 2018 and March 2019 VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it was raised during the course of the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The effective date claim is denied as the Veteran is already service connected from August 5, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for perirectal abscess infection debridement has been withdrawn, and the appeal is dismissed. The appeals for increased ratings for a back condition, left shoulder strain, and right knee condition are remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes. A separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy in each lower extremity is granted.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for clothing allowances for a left knee brace and topical medication, diclofenac was denied as the evidence did not support service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since October 1, 2009. The Board has granted an effective earlier date of October 1, 2009 for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for multilevel disc protrusions with neural foraminal stenosis of the lumbar spine and degenerative disc disease.,The Board has also granted secondary service connection for radiculopathy, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity, both secondary to now service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disability.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,Claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disability were granted due to the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal seeking to revise the October 1986 rating decision is dismissed as the October 1986 decision was subsumed by the April 2020 Board decision, which granted service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's tinnitus and lumbar spine strain have been granted service connection. The issue of diabetes mellitus is remanded for further review, as is the right knee pain and cervical spine injury.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability alone prevents him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since November 16, 2012. He is also entitled to SMC based on housebound status due to his combined rating of 60 percent for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral hallux valgus with degenerative joint disease, bilateral shin splints (tingling of the bilateral lower extremities), tinea versicolor, migraines, and left shoulder disability are all found to have onset during his period of service from July 1996 to July 2008. As a result, these conditions are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left inguinal hernia is not considered due to lack of current diagnosis or functional impairment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected lumbar spine surgical scars is granted, with the effective date set at September 15, 2023. The Board has also remanded the issue of an increased disability rating for his lumbar spine.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation grant eligibility.