The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claim for service connection for residuals of a low back injury can be decided. The Veteran's claim will be remanded to allow for another VA examination and opinion regarding whether his current low back condition is related to service, specifically the September 1972 motorcycle accident.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous VA examiner did not address a September 1972 service treatment record reflecting complaints of neck and back pain and diagnosed muscle pain. The Board determined this was necessary for proper adjudication of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of low back injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 7, 2011
- Citation
- 1113832
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 1113832.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of low back injuries due to a withdrawal by the appellant.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for both the low back and left ankle injuries, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of low back injury, including chronic low back pain and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current symptoms and active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU prior to January 23, 2015 due to incomplete records. The Veteran needs to provide Social Security Administration (SSA) medical records used in his disability benefits decision.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.