The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service medical records and the need for a VA examination.
The deciding factor: Service connection is being sought based on direct evidence, but the veteran's service medical records are missing or unavailable. The claim must be further developed by obtaining alternative forms of evidence and scheduling an orthopedic examination.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbar syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2007
- Citation
- 0736796
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 0736796.
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 back disability and left leg radiculopathy are currently rated at 10% each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability claim is also remanded as an adequate VA examination was not provided in the previous February 2015 neck conditions examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a VA annual clothing allowance in 2015 is granted because his back brace, used due to service-connected chronic lumbar syndrome, causes wear and tear on his clothing.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for tinnitus and chronic lumbar syndrome, status post lumbar discectomy were granted. The rating for the back disability was increased to 20 percent.
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