The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examination. The Veteran's low back condition is being considered for service connection as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.
The deciding factor: Further evaluation by VA is needed to determine the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the low back, including whether it is related to or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Low Back
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2013
- Citation
- 1315498
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 1315498.
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 granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the low back and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's low back disability is remanded for further medical guidance to determine if it is related to his active service.
- Granted
The Board finds that the Veteran's low back disability is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability is found to be due to an injury sustained during combat service in Vietnam. Service connection for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are granted.
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