The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disorder is granted. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that there was not enough evidence to establish a direct relationship between the Veteran’s current back disorders and his military service, but did not rule out other possible causes such as degenerative joint disease or recurrent soft tissue injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disorder, Thoracolumbar spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2018
- Citation
- 18107263
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 18107263.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the initial ratings assigned for psoriatic arthritis of the upper and lower extremities, as well as service connection for a cervical spine disorder, need to be remanded due to incomplete evidence. The Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ADT) and inactive duty for training (IDT) must be confirmed, and all relevant medical records should be obtained.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder is rated at 20 percent prior to September 9, 2020 and 20 percent thereafter. The rating for GERD remains at 10 percent.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's back disorder is granted a rating of 10 percent, and his chronic kidney disease is granted service connection based on being secondary to his service-connected hypertension.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity and left lower extremity neurological disorders, and hypertension due to potential in-service exposure. The AOJ is required to develop these issues further.
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