The veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder has been reopened, but further development is needed to determine if the current condition is related to his military service.,There is no evidence of an acquired loss of visual acuity due to service. The Board notes that there are VA treatment records dated in March 2006 which have not been reviewed by the RO and requests a waiver for review.,The veteran's claim for PTSD must be remanded as well, as the necessary supporting evidence has not been provided.
The deciding factor: To establish service connection for low back disorder, there needs to be medical evidence of a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury, and a nexus between the claimed in-service disease or injury and the current disability. The veteran's claim is reopened but further development is needed to determine if his current condition is related to service.,For an acquired loss of visual acuity, there must be medical evidence showing a current disability. There are no such findings in the record. Therefore, the claim cannot be granted without additional evidence or information.,Service connection for PTSD requires credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressors actually occurred and a link between the current symptomatology and the claimed in-service stressors. The veteran's lay testimony alone is not enough to establish the occurrence of the alleged stressor.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disorder, acquired loss of visual acuity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2008
- Citation
- 0818527
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 0818527.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination and medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's low back disorder and bilateral hip disorder are related to his service-connected Crohn's disease.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back disorder, skin disorder, tongue condition, right chest costochondritis, and right hand shaking due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that side effects from prescribed medications contributed substantially and materially to his accidental motorcycle collision resulting in fatal injuries.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for dermatitis/eczema, sleep apnea, a psychiatric disorder (including MDD and PTSD), hypertension, COPD, low back disorder, and prostate cancer are all granted. The Board found that the evidence supported these determinations based on direct service connection.
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.