The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbosacral strain and an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as anxiety and depression, due to inadequate medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The examiner's opinion was found inadequate because it discounted the Veteran's assertions of in-service back injuries and ongoing pain based solely on the absence of contemporaneous medical records, which is impermissible under the law. Additionally, a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbosacral strain, Acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety and depression)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25016215
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