The veteran is seeking service connection for a chronic low back disorder that he believes is secondary to his already service-connected post-operative residuals of an osteochondral fracture of the right talus with anterior instability and arthritis. The case has been remanded due to conflicting opinions in the medical records regarding whether the low back problems are caused or aggravated by other service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion is equivocal, requiring additional evidence and a more detailed examination to determine if the veteran's low back disorder is secondary to his other service-connected orthopedic problems.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2005
- Citation
- 0527951
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 0527951.
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 has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracolumbar strain, finding that it began in service and is related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic low back disorder and right leg disorder, finding that the current disabilities are not causally related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a chronic low back disorder, finding that the preexisting condition was not aggravated by service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of adequate examination for rating purposes, specifically failing to evaluate functional impairment during flare-ups and not including range of motion testing in non-weight-bearing conditions.
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