The Board has ordered additional development to obtain the veteran's service medical records and verify his periods of active duty for training. The case will be remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any low back disorder found to be present.
The deciding factor: Further investigation is needed to determine if the veteran's current low back disorders are related to military service, including obtaining missing service medical records and verifying his periods of active duty for training.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with L-5 spondylolysis, spina bifida occulta
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2006
- Citation
- 0635996
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 0635996.
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 Board denied the appellant's claims for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 and § 1815, finding that she does not have a form or manifestation of spina bifida other than spina bifida occulta, and her mother is not a Vietnam Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 for spina bifida, as he does not have a diagnosis of spina bifida other than spina bifida occulta.
- Partly granted
The Board denied benefits for a child born with birth defects and spina bifida, but granted service connection for spina bifida occulta.
- Denied
The Board denied benefits for spina bifida occulta as the Appellant does not meet the criteria for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805.
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