The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to completion of its appellate review in this case. The veteran's claim on appeal will be remanded for further action.
The deciding factor: Additional medical records are needed, including VA treatment records from 1970-1973 and internet-published articles addressing the symptomatology of spinal disorders. A VA orthopedic examination is also required to determine the nature and etiology of any low back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 and L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2005
- Citation
- 0503299
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,177 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0503299.
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 Veteran's mechanical back pain was evaluated at a 10% rating, and the issues of total disability based on individual unemployability were denied.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, including degenerative disc disease from L3-L4 and L5-S1, with herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 and L5-S1, is service-connected.
- Denied
The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disorder in service or until many years thereafter, and concluded that the Veteran's current back condition is not related to his active duty.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's low back disability was not related to his inservice car crash and denied service connection.
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