The Veteran is seeking service connection for his lumbar spine conditions, which he claims are secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the direct relationship of these conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: An addendum opinion is needed to determine if any diagnosed low back disability is at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) caused by or aggravated beyond its normal course of progression by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2018
- Citation
- 1814388
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 1814388.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for headaches. The proposed severance of service connection for hypertension is also dismissed as a matter of law.
- Denied
The Veteran's TDIU from April 1, 2020 is denied as the evidence does not show that his service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current disability of hearing loss and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, thus remanding the case.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.