The Veteran's low back disability is remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and inadequate VA examination.,The Veteran's sinusitis is remanded as there are no records of treatment during service, but the Board finds a need for a VA examination.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran’s low back disability is related to his active duty. The VA examiner found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosed thoracolumbar spine condition and noted L4-L5 bulging/herniated disc in 2007, which could be the source of his pain.,The Veteran reported having sinusitis upon separation from service, but there is no evidence of treatment during service. The Board finds that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current diagnosis of chronic sinusitis began in service.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disability, sinusitis, cervical spine disability, acid reflux, erectile dysfunction, left lower extremity radiculopathy, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, psychiatric disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18102784
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 18102784.
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 Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims of service connection for cervical spine and skin rash disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.