The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected low back injury with degenerative changes is being remanded due to the need for additional medical development, including an updated VA examination.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence (an updated VA examination) is needed to determine the current severity of the veteran's service-connected low back disability and its impact on his ability to work.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a low back injury with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2008
- Citation
- 0840149
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 0840149.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connected disabilities, including residuals of a low back injury with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. As such, the claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his low back injury and left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. He is not eligible for TDIU on a schedular or extraschedular basis.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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