The Board remands the issues of an increased rating for lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease and entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities prior to July 30, 2016, for further development.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations of record were deemed inadequate, and a retrospective opinion is needed to adequately assess the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability throughout the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2025
- Citation
- 25001888
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,762 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 25001888.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip osteoarthritis, right hip osteoarthritis, and lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease (DDD) as secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities. The VA is required to provide an addendum opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to his service-connected knees.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that further medical opinion is needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's lower back conditions, specifically whether they are caused or aggravated by her service-connected left knee and left ankle disabilities. The case is being remanded for this purpose.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and readjudication of the claims, including entitlement to service connection for headaches and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to his service-connected lumbar spondylosis with DDD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spondylosis with DDD and consideration of his TDIU claim. The SSA records are also requested.
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