The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's thoracolumbar strain and whether it is related to service, secondary to her service-connected IBS with GERD, or aggravated by her service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The current examination report contains internal inconsistencies and lacks sufficient rationale for opinions on direct service connection and secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- upper back pain, middle back disorder, lower back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2014
- Citation
- 1455381
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 1455381.
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 has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right hip, and right ankle disorders as secondary to his left knee disorder. The AOJ must obtain VA examinations and provide answers to questions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left leg shin splints and lower back disorder due to new evidence received by the Veteran. The VA will conduct further examinations and consider any additional evidence before making a decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lower back disorder. The case will be returned for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings and service connection were dismissed due to their death. The claims will be dismissed without prejudice.
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