The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected low back muscular strain is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of recent medical records.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination was conducted over 7 years ago, and there are no current treatment records available. The examiner will be asked to assess the current severity of the Veteran's condition and provide an opinion on whether her neurological disorder is related to her service-connected spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back muscular strain, Neurological disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18139675
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 18139675.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired mental health disorder, to include PTSD due to in-service military sexual trauma (MST).
- Partly granted
The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, neurological disorder, right side body weakness, memory disorder, and balance disorder based on new and relevant evidence being received.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a neurological disorder, and a right arm disorder as the evidence did not support a link to in-service events or toxic exposures.
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