The Board remands the claims for further development, specifically to obtain private treatment records from Dr. G.E.H. related to a September 2023 spinal stimulator surgery.
The deciding factor: Remand is required due to VA's failure to make reasonable efforts to obtain pertinent medical evidence from a private provider as mandated by law.
- Claimed conditions
- Intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), Right lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatica nerve, Left lower extremity radiculopathy involving the sciatica nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 11, 2025
- Citation
- 25009137
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 service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and foraminal stenosis based on a finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a separate rating for traumatic brain injury residuals, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to address the severity of the Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of October 21, 2019, for a disability rating of 30 percent for left knee meniscal tear, ACL tear, and osteoarthritis status post left total knee replacement.
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.