The Board has determined that a new VA medical opinion is needed to clarify whether the Veteran's scoliosis and kyphosis are congenital defects or diseases, and if so, whether they pre-existed service. The examiner should also address whether any arthritis of the back was manifested within one year of the Veteran's September 1969 service discharge.
The deciding factor: The Board requires a medical opinion to clarify the nature of the Veteran's spine disorders (scoliosis and kyphosis) and their relationship to service, as well as their onset date.
- Claimed conditions
- scoliosis, kyphosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2015
- Citation
- 1554045
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 1554045.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, including degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, due to lack of current disability evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to deficiencies in the duty to assist, and will require a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing scoliosis and/or additional lumbar vertebra clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and whether any increase in severity during service was due to natural progression.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, scoliosis and compression fracture of T5 and L2, cervical strain, herniation to C5-6, and narrowing at C3-5, and right knee strain. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible reports of symptoms during active duty.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluation of unspecified depressive and anxiety disorder, service connection for scoliosis, and costochondritis are dismissed.
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