The Board remands the issues of entitlement to higher ratings for degenerative disc disease and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient medical evidence.
The deciding factor: Insufficient medical evidence was provided to determine the severity of the Veteran's conditions during specific periods, making it impossible to render a decision without resorting to speculation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, Bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2025
- Citation
- 25006135
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 Board granted service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and special monthly compensation based on the need of regular aid and attendance, while remanding the issue of service connection for a seizures disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were caused by his in-service injuries.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 1, 2016, for the 40 percent rating assigned for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, headaches, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. It also dismissed the claims for higher ratings of reactive airway disease, allergic rhinitis, and PTSD, denied service connection for CFS and TBI, and granted a 30% rating for IBS.
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