The Board remands the claim for a new examination to address the relevant rating criteria and the beneficial effects of medication.
The deciding factor: A new VA examination is necessary due to the precedential holding by the CAVC in Ingram v. Collins, which found that VA is required to discount the beneficial effects of medication when the relevant rating criteria do not explicitly contemplate medication use.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain with intervertebral disc disease (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2025
- Citation
- 25007675
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 an effective date of August 6, 2021, but no earlier, for the award of a 10 percent rating for right hip strain, impairment of the thigh. Other claims were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new examination to address concerns regarding the qualifications of the examiners who performed the October 2024 VA examination.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for higher ratings for service-connected lumbar strain with IVDS and peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities was dismissed because the veteran withdrew the appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.