The Veteran's low back disability has increased in severity, and he contests the validity of a VA examination report. The Board finds that an accurate assessment is needed for both his current back disability and related issues.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected low back disability may be aggravated by or otherwise relate to his bilateral leg pain and neck disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the low back, Degenerative disc disease of the neck, Bilateral leg pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18137871
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 18137871.
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 determined that the Veteran is in need of personal care services for at least six continuous months due to a need for supervision or protection based on his psychiatric and physical disorders. However, the decision is remanded as it does not address whether participation in PCAFC is in the best interest of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the low back and hypertension, as well as SMC based on being housebound. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neck disability and PTSD.
- Granted
The Veteran's neck and low back disabilities are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that these conditions were caused by his military service.
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