The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for further examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records are unavailable, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed disabilities related to the low back are incurred in or otherwise related to an in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the low back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18111363
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 18111363.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability has been reopened, but the Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent, but no higher, for PTSD prior to May 18, 2012 is granted. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for DDD of the low back, service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to service-connected back disorder, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and bipolar disorder.
- Granted
The Board found that the Veteran's DDD of the low back resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, which meets the criteria for a 40 percent rating from September 1, 2006, to June 15, 2011.
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