The Board remands the claims for a lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, right shoulder and wrist disabilities, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to obtain additional VA medical opinions.

The deciding factor: The RO did not obtain adequate VA opinions prior to issuing the rating decisions, as the existing opinions were based on the absence of chronicity or treatment during service or since separation from service without addressing in-service symptoms or post-service progression of symptoms.

Claimed conditions

Lumbar spine disability, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Right shoulder disability, Right wrist disability, Acquired psychiatric disorder

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 28, 2025

Citation

A25093529

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine