The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome status post laminectomy and remanded several other issues, including a rating increase for major depressive disorder.
The deciding factor: The August 2014 decision that denied the Veteran's claim became final, and no new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim before July 12, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome status post laminectomy, major depressive disorder, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy associated with lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome status post laminectomy, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy associated with lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome status post laminectomy, left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy associated with lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome status post laminectomy, residual lumbar scar associated with lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome status post laminectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25055103
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 705 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25055103.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, should be remanded due to a failure to verify a stressor related to the death of his two best friends in Iraq. The AOJ needs to develop this stressor.
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