Back / lumbar spine decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral sciatica due to duty-to-assist errors, inadequate VA medical opinions, and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's motions to revise or reverse the February 12, 2009 rating decisions denying service connection for depression and a back condition due to lack of clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,Service connection is granted for sleep apnea, and the Veteran's claimed sleep disturbances are considered symptoms of his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability and now service-connected sleep apnea.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection of thoracolumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease with spinal fusion and cauda equina syndrome due to outstanding federal records from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease and associated radiculopathy of the lower extremities, tinnitus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since November 7, 2018.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The Veteran was granted an initial 40 percent rating for BPH associated with PTSD and a 30 percent rating for dermatitis from October 23, 2025 onwards. Other issues were either denied or remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for a low back disability due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for depression, insomnia, and lower lumbar strain due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's assertions suggest an association between his current disabilities and service.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine strain with IVDS and degenerative arthritis, finding that his forward flexion during flare-ups closely approximates 60 degrees.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic lumbar spine and right ankle disabilities, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Parkinson's disease, lumbar spine disability, and arteriosclerotic heart disease, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU and established basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance prior to May 1, 2025.

The Board has determined that the VA opinions obtained were inadequate and remands the claims for further development. The Veteran's lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's left shoulder scars are not service-connected and do not warrant a compensable disability rating.,The Veteran's left foot neuropathy is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum available under current criteria. The Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.,Service connection for brain damage, lumbar spine disability, or right leg disability (deep vein thrombosis) has not been established by the evidence of record.,The Veteran's service records do not indicate any incidents related to burn pits, Agent Orange exposure, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War Syndrome, or other presumptive conditions. Therefore, no specific exposure basis can be determined.,No new and material evidence has been submitted for brain damage, lumbar spine disability, or right leg disability (deep vein thrombosis).,The Veteran's service records do not indicate any incidents related to burn pits, Agent Orange exposure, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War Syndrome, or other presumptive conditions. Therefore, no specific exposure basis can be determined.,,None of the issues have a clear and convincing evidence that supports their resolution in favor of the Veteran.

Service connection for PTSD is granted, effective May 22, 2023.,Effective May 22, 2023, service connection for right total hip replacement and related conditions are granted.,An earlier effective date of May 22, 2023, but no earlier, is granted for the grant of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.,Effective May 22, 2023, service connection for recurrent tinnitus is granted.,Effective May 22, 2023, service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right knee disability and low back disorder. As a result, the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's TDIU and restoration of a 20 percent rating for lumbar spine spondylosis with IVDS and DDD are granted. Additionally, the Veteran is now eligible for SMC at the housebound rate due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to revise the January 1985 rating decision that assigned a noncompensable evaluation for back disability based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The January 1985 rating decision is revised to reflect an initial 10 percent evaluation for back disability, effective August 28, 1984.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been presented to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for a back condition, left shoulder condition, scars (of the head, face, neck), skin condition of bilateral hands, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The AOJ is directed to consider this new evidence in their subsequent adjudication.