The veteran's appeal is about his ability to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities, specifically low back problems. The case has been remanded for further development including an examination by a VA orthopedic specialist.
The deciding factor: The veteran needs an assessment of the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.
- Claimed conditions
- low back problems
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 21, 2007
- Citation
- 0705020
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 0705020.
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 appeal of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, low back problems, bilateral hearing loss, gout, and plantar fasciitis is dismissed.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for low back problems due to new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no current diagnosis of sleep apnea in the record.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are denied and his claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is being remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his current lumbar spine disabilities.
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.