The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining his Vocational Rehabilitation file and scheduling him for a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbosacral intervertebral disc syndrome.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has not been evaluated in over six years, and he reported a worsening of symptoms. His claim is being remanded to allow for this evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral intervertebral disc syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2015
- Citation
- 1551660
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 1551660.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals as untimely, and no service connection was granted or denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a lumbosacral intervertebral disc syndrome and strain as additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the disability.
- Denied
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for a back disability and bilateral knee strains based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in prior rating decisions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 60 percent for service-connected lumbosacral intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) is denied. The maximum schedular rating for IVDS under Diagnostic Code 5243 is 60 percent, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.