The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine is being remanded due to inadequate development and need for a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Board found that further development, including an additional VA examination by a qualified examiner other than the December 2008 VA examiner, was necessary to comply with previous remands and ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2012
- Citation
- 1242273
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 1242273.
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 remands the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's back disabilities, specifically addressing functional loss during flare-ups and with repeated use over time.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine, a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and panic disorder with alcohol use disorder (in remission), and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to consider if the Veteran's symptoms amount to functional ankylosis, which can establish entitlement to a higher disability rating for his service-connected thoracic spine.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including to consider the ameliorative effects of medications on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and to determine whether an effective date earlier than June 5, 2013 is warranted for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.
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