The Veteran seeks service connection for a low back disorder, which he claims was incurred during his military service. The Board notes that the Veteran has provided evidence of in-service complaints and treatment related to his back pain but also acknowledges the lack of post-service medical records prior to 2001. The case is being remanded for further development including an examination and review of VA treatment records.
The deciding factor: The claim requires additional evidence, specifically recent VA treatment records, to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's current back disorder and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease of L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0930466
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 0930466.
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
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- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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