The Board remands the claims for a new examination to properly determine the rating for the Veteran's back surgical scars and lumbar sprain, status post laminectomy.
The deciding factor: The VA examination on which the RO relied was deemed inadequate due to not considering all of the Veteran's symptomology associated with the lumbar sprain and the scars from lumbar surgeries.
- Claimed conditions
- scar from lumbar surgery, lumbar sprain, status post laminectomy
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25035034
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 an earlier effective date of October 2, 2015 for the grant of service connection for lumbar sprain and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to good cause shown for the Veteran's failure to file a Notice of Disagreement within one year of the initial denial.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for her hip and lumbar sprain conditions, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for sarcoidosis as new and relevant evidence has been received since the previous denial.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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