The veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and spondylitic changes is being remanded to the RO/AMC for additional development.
The deciding factor: Additional VA examination is required to determine the current nature, extent, severity and manifestations of the veteran's service-connected low back disability.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and spondylitic changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2009
- Citation
- 0900171
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0900171.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's low back disability is manifested by flexion to greater than 30 degrees, even with repetitive motion, no incapacitating episodes, and no neurological abnormalities. The criteria for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent have not been met.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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