The Board has remanded the case for further actions including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the Board had failed to comply with its duty to assist in not obtaining all private medical records, including those compiled from 1984 to 1990 from Dr. Bhagat and relying on an inadequate medical opinion as to the nexus of the claimed arthritis to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2015
- Citation
- 1546992
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1546992.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his physical limitations could be accommodated by sedentary employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's back disability (degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine) is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies (RLE and LLE sciatic radiculopathy) are granted as secondary to her back disability.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is remanded due to a lack of verification of the TERA exposure.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy is granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current disabilities are due to his service-connected back disability.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions was dismissed due to the absence of a decision addressing tinnitus. The issues of hypertension, sinus condition, bilateral eye condition, right wrist disability, and bilateral hand, arm, elbow, and shoulder disabilities were withdrawn by the Veteran.
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