The Board has determined that the current evaluation of the veteran's right knee laxity is not before it at this time and will be addressed separately. The appeal involves claims for secondary service connection for a low back disability, an increased rating for early degenerative arthritis of the right knee, and individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board has determined that there are conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's current low back disability. The medical evidence does not provide sufficient clarity on whether the veteran's low back disability is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities or if it is a separate condition.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disability, early degenerative arthritis of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2004
- Citation
- 0401658
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 0401658.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches with an initial rating of 50 percent effective from August 10, 2022, and denied the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disability, low back disability, and erectile dysfunction.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right hip condition, left hip condition, low back disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of in-service injury or illness related to these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
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