The Veteran seeks service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease with radiculopathy. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current chronic lower back pain.
The deciding factor: The January 2011 VA examination was inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's lay assertions of in-service injuries and treatment for his back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease with radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2014
- Citation
- 1454634
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 1454634.
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 earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) are granted effective May 12, 2025. The decision is based on the combination of his service-connected disabilities rendering him unemployable as of that date.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, left knee chondromalacia, and right knee chondromalacia due to new evidence submitted since the last denial.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to the Veteran's diagnosed obesity and his service-connected disabilities.
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