The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and contacting SSA regarding the Veteran's disability benefits claim.
The deciding factor: VA is required to make reasonable efforts to assist the claimant in obtaining evidence necessary to substantiate the claim but must not be obligated to pursue leads that are frivolous or unlikely to result in any additional development of the record.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar vertebral fractures with degenerative disc disease, bursitis, reflex sympathetic dystrophy of both hips and the left leg, neck disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2010
- Citation
- 1003030
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 1003030.
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 Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death, as an appellant's claim does not survive their death.
- Denied
The Veteran was awarded service connection for allergic rhinitis based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2022, is not warranted.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.