The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for multiple compression fractures of the lumbar spine and bladder cancer due to new evidence submitted since April 2010. The claim for service connection for multiple compression fractures is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion, while the bladder cancer issue remains pending.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since April 2010 includes the Veteran's testimony, lay statements, and VA treatment records which contradicts previous examination findings and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for multiple compression fractures of the lumbar spine. The bladder cancer claim is remanded due to lack of a Statement of the Case.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple compression fractures of the lumbar spine, Bladder cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18136975
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 18136975.
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.
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The Board has remanded the claims for bladder cancer, erectile dysfunction, and gouty arthropathy due to outstanding VA treatment records not being obtained. The Veteran's request for a referral to a urologist for ED is also remanded. A VA medical opinion is needed regarding the relationship between the Veteran's gouty arthropathy and his service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder and kidney cancer were dismissed as the Notice of Disagreement was not filed within one year of the denial.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer and diabetes mellitus, Type II are remanded due to errors in the VA opinion regarding exposure to herbicides and toxic substances during his military service.
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