The Veteran seeks service connection for a back disorder, which she claims is secondary to her service-connected left ankle disorder. The Board finds there are insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current back disorder was aggravated by military service or if it is related to her pre-existing condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current back disorder was aggravated by military service without resorting to speculation.
- Claimed conditions
- back disorder, left ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 24, 2010
- Citation
- 1019209
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 1019209.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for a back disorder and tinnitus, as new and material evidence was not submitted.
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