The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU, as well as his claim for an earlier effective date for CAD. The appeals will be adjudicated together due to the interrelated nature of the issues. Additional medical evidence is needed from VA and private sources to assess the current severity of the service-connected lumbar spine condition and its impact on employment. If a separate rating for any associated neurological abnormalities is warranted, then TDIU may still not be granted based on the schedular criteria. The case will be referred to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of an extra-schedular TDIU if applicable.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine condition has worsened since his last VA examination in November 2016, necessitating a new examination. Additionally, there are gaps in the record from the now closed Fort Myers VA outpatient clinic and missing private treatment records that need to be obtained.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, coronary artery disease (CAD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2018
- Citation
- 18108640
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 18108640.
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 decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his coronary artery disease.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), hypertension, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected DM II. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during active service is presumed.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was denied, and his claims for right knee, left knee, right hand, left hand, GERD, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. The effective date of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted on December 14, 2022.
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