The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the issue on appeal can be adjudicated. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, including degenerative changes of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy symptomatology, will be remanded to allow for further examination and opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional development is required due to the need for an indication that there may be a nexus between the current disability or symptoms and service. The Veteran has provided credible evidence of continuity of symptomatology since soon after service discharge, warranting a VA examination and medical opinion under the low threshold established in McLendon v. Nicholson.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine arthritis, radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2012
- Citation
- 1200673
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 1200673.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for lumbar spine arthritis and right lower extremity sciatica have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for service-connected migraine headaches is remanded due to the need for further evaluation and consideration.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of both lower extremities is being remanded due to a failure to obtain relevant private medical records. The AOJ will consider these records when readjudicating the claim.
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