The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease with lumbosacral strain and lateral collateral ligament sprain of the left ankle to ensure a more accurate assessment of the severity of these disabilities.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions, specifically without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with lumbosacral strain, Lateral collateral ligament sprain of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2025
- Citation
- A25025661
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,762 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25025661.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's VR&E benefits were denied as she did not have an employment handicap and was found to be employable with her current skills, experience, and education. The appeal must be denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and denied an increased rating for degenerative disc disease with lumbosacral strain.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's original 40 percent rating for degenerative disc disease with lumbosacral strain, effective January 8, 2021. The appeal was not about service connection but rather a reduction in rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease with lumbosacral strain are remanded due to inconsistencies in the May 2023 VA examination report and the need for further development, including obtaining findings related to flare-ups of her lumbar spine condition.
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