The veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to inadequate examination reports.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations were not conducted by physicians as required, which affects the validity of the disability ratings assigned.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease (DDD), degenerative joint disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2006
- Citation
- 0635417
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0635417.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, DJD, from December 17, 1997 to June 3, 2022, and the effective date for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy was also set at December 17, 1997. However, a higher rating or TDIU was denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) was dismissed by the Veteran in written correspondence.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain and granted an effective date of November 5, 2007, but no earlier, for TDIU.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for right shoulder, thoracolumbar spine, and ankle disabilities based on their relationship to the Veteran's active service.
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