The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for service-connected lumbar myalgia is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining translations of Spanish documents and scheduling a VA examination.
The deciding factor: The case was remanded by the Court in January 2017 to consider findings from the January 2014 VA examination report, which were found inadequate based on recent court decisions regarding musculoskeletal disability examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar myalgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 22, 2017
- Citation
- 1708870
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 1708870.
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 an initial rating in excess of 40% for lumbar strain and myalgia, denied a prior effective date for depression, and remanded the issues of increased rating for depression and TDIU.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar myalgia and intervertebral disc syndrome are rated at 40 percent since January 27, 2014. The rating is based on functional loss of the back due to pain, flare-ups, and less movement than normal.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar myalgia is rated at 20 percent since January 27, 2014. Service connection for rhinitis and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder) are granted. The muscle ache disability claim is denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, but the issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports.
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