The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disorder to obtain an addendum opinion that addresses the Veteran's lay statements and post-service treatment, as well as the June 2023 VA examiner's qualifications.
The deciding factor: The previous opinions provided insufficient rationale and did not address all required factors, necessitating another remand for additional development.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2025
- Citation
- 25006390
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.
- Granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disorder, and a lumbar spine disorder.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 1, 2015, and from January 10, 2017, as well as an effective date earlier than July 1, 2015, for the award of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.