The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability and sciatic nerve disability, secondary to low back disability, as additional development of the record is necessary for proper adjudication.
The deciding factor: The failure to obtain an adequate medical opinion as to the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability constitutes a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disability (claimed as spinal stenosis), sciatic nerve disability, secondary to low back disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051753
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.
- Dismissed
The Board of Veterans' Appeals dismissed the claims for service connection for skin fungus, chloracne, sciatic nerve disability, and a total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) as a valid higher-level review request was received, and a decision was never issued under the Appeals Modernization Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board vacated its previous decision and remanded the appeal for further review of new evidence. The Veteran's claims for various conditions and ratings will be re-evaluated.
- 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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