The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, claimed as lumber spine strain, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and determine the etiology of his current thoracolumbar spine disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examination provided by the February 2010 examiner was inadequate for rating purposes and did not consider all relevant evidence including private treatment records and service treatment records. The case is therefore being remanded to obtain additional medical records and determine the etiology of the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine strain, mild thoracic spondylosis, minimal degenerative anterolisthesis at L5-L5, disc interspace narrowing at L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2017
- Citation
- 1729292
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 1729292.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of functional impairment. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine if any service-connected disability results in loss of use of both lower extremities, one lower extremity and one upper extremity, or residuals affecting balance and propulsion.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from engaging in gainful employment as of January 1, 2019. The Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the reduction in disability rating for lumbar spine strain from 40% to 20% was improper and has granted a restoration of a 40% rating. The claim for an increased disability rating for PTSD remains pending.
- Granted
The Board has granted an increased rating to 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine strain with IVDS and degenerative arthritis, finding that his forward flexion during flare-ups closely approximates 60 degrees.
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