The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for her low back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner needs to provide a clear opinion on whether the current diagnosed conditions are related to service or post-service injuries, which was not adequately addressed in the previous opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease, IVDS (Intervertebral Disc Syndrome), Radiculopathy of the lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2017
- Citation
- 1700652
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 1700652.
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 Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and requires an additional VA examination for the Veteran's back disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence in support of the Veteran's previously denied service-connection claim for a back condition to include degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease. The case is being remanded for further review.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection regarding cervical strain with IVDS, spinal fusion, and spinal stenosis was dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.
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