The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported worsening symptoms since his last VA examination in August 2008, necessitating further evaluation of his lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar disk disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2011
- Citation
- 1117519
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 1117519.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar disk disease, with right S1 radiculopathy, status post lumbar discectomy and laminectomy is granted. The Board found that the evidence was in approximate balance, granting the benefit of doubt to the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a new medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's low back disability, including lumbar disk disease and a low back strain, is causally or etiologically related to service. The case will be remanded for this purpose.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar disk disease, traumatic arthritis of the left ankle, and complete bony ankylosis of the great left toe, are found to be so severe that they prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants his claim for TDIU.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the requisite schedular percentages for TDIU, and there is no evidence that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.
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