The Board has remanded the case for additional development to comply with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). The veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being considered.
The deciding factor: The VCAA requires that all claims be developed in compliance with due process requirements, including obtaining medical records and providing an opportunity for a VA examination if necessary.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, Degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0319428
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 0319428.
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 service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, left shoulder strain, and osteoarthritis of the left hip status post left hip replacement based on a nexus to the Veteran's military service as a Navy SEAL.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, as secondary to a service-connected lower back disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and bilateral hip disabilities to obtain an adequate medical opinion.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.