The Board has determined that the current medical examination is insufficient for rating purposes and has ordered a new examination to determine the severity of the appellant's service-connected lumbar spine disability. The case will be remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The April 2017 private DBQ was found to be insufficient for rating purposes due to its deficiencies in describing the impact of flare-ups and functional loss, as well as the lack of a description of further diagnostic testing needed.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD), with disc herniation and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), with lower extremity sensory deficits
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 12, 2017
- Citation
- 1745297
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1745297.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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