The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his low back disability due to inconsistencies in medical evidence and a need for a supplemental VA opinion.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for additional medical evidence to address inconsistencies in the record regarding the severity of the Veteran's low back disability, particularly concerning muscle spasms and the impact of medication on range of motion.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25027592
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine as there was no evidence of an in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and in excess of 10 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) to ensure compliance with the duty to assist.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to August 28, 2017, and a rating in excess of 20 percent from that date.
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