The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA examination for assessing the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine condition. The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine condition.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the May 2024 VA examination was internally inconsistent and concluded that remand is required to obtain an adequate examination.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2026
- Citation
- A26039846
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26039846.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis, finding that there is no evidence linking the current disability to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted effective July 1, 2011.
- Denied
The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis is currently rated at 40 percent, and a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated at 40 percent since March 16, 2011, and 20 percent from January 27, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated at 10 percent since May 23, 2013, and 20 percent from January 27, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral foot disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee disorder and/or service-connected lumbar spine disorder) and right knee disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee disorder) are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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