The Board remands the claims for an initial rating greater than 20 percent for lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease (DDD) prior to February 28, 2018, and greater than 40 percent thereafter, and for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for right leg lumbar radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: Remand is required to cure a duty to assist error and afford the Veteran adequate VA examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease (DDD), right leg lumbar radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 13, 2025
- Citation
- 25006416
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,185 · Granted: 28% (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 25006416.
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 elbow, back, and right leg disabilities due to incomplete development of records and inadequate medical opinions. The claims are being returned for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spondylosis, LLE sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and right leg lumbar radiculopathy are remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.
- Granted
The Veteran's right leg lumbar radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has determined that the disability warrants a higher rating of 40 percent, but no higher.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining clarification from the Hughston Clinic and Tuskegee VAMC records. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.
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