The veteran's claim for service connection for his back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a clarification of an October 2003 VA physician's opinion and consideration of new evidence.
The deciding factor: Additional medical opinions are needed to address whether the veteran's current thoracic and lumbar spine disabilities are related to his in-service parachute jumps and service-related low back pain complaints.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 22, 2004
- Citation
- 0419801
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 0419801.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and thoracic/lumbar spine, both secondary to left shoulder fracture.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine and uveitis are being remanded due to the addition of VA treatment records, including visual field test results from a July 2016 examination. These records may be relevant to his disability evaluations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for a total disability based on individual unemployability.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential new evidence and further development is needed.,The claim for increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine remains pending. A VA examination will be conducted to assess the current severity of the condition.,The claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to potential new evidence from the Veteran's hearing and need further development.,A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder. The examiner must also attempt to corroborate the Veteran’s reported stressors.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.