The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current back disability is related to service. The appeal will be returned after this additional development.
The deciding factor: A VA medical examination is needed to assess whether any diagnosed current back disability is related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolysis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2008
- Citation
- 0836068
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 0836068.
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 claims for increased rating and service connection were denied as there was no evidence of an increase in severity or causation prior to October 14, 2020.,The Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for sleep apnea prior to October 17, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding range of motion during flare-ups.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal regarding increased ratings for left and right lower sciatica is remanded due to new evidence. The issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for each condition are being returned to the RO for further action.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for a back disability was denied in September 1971, and the decision is final. The Veteran filed another claim on May 1, 2007, which led to an effective date of May 1, 2007.,The Veteran's spondylolysis of the lumbar spine disability has been rated at 40 percent since May 1, 2007. The appeal is denied as there is no indication that the condition warrants a higher rating.
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.