The Board remands the claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease to correct a duty to assist error, as no adequate VA medical opinion has been obtained.
The deciding factor: New and relevant evidence was received since the prior denial, specifically an August 2024 VA treatment record showing lower back pain. The Board must remand the claim for a new VA examination to address whether there is a nexus between the Veteran's current lumbar degenerative disc disease and his service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25036582
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 a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the claimant.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, finding no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and lumbar degenerative disc disease to allow VA to obtain potentially relevant records from Florida VA facilities and clarify dates and locations of periods of incarceration.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease and service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, as secondary to the back disability.
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