The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease with lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, spinal stenosis, and annual tear to obtain a more accurate assessment of the Veteran's disability without considering the beneficial effects of medication.
The deciding factor: A remand is necessary to satisfy a regulatory duty by obtaining an opinion addressing the functional impairment associated with the Veteran's back disability, including the estimated range of motion, without consideration of the beneficial effects of medication.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) with lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), spinal stenosis, and annual tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25035395
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for spinal stenosis, peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and spinal stenosis based on the Veteran's in-service back injury and chronicity of symptoms.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for intervertebral disc syndrome based on limited cervical range of motion and a 40 percent rating for IVDS based on limited thoracolumbar range of motion, while dismissing the appeal for service connection for a right knee disability.
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