The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spondylosis with degenerative joint disease and rotator cuff tear, left shoulder (minor) due to insufficient opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not provide sufficient rationale or opinion on whether the Veteran's current back condition is related to a fall off a truck in July 2009, nor did they address the continuity of symptomatology for her left shoulder condition since the July 2009 injury. The Board requires further examination and opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis with degenerative joint disease, rotator cuff tear, left shoulder (minor)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2018
- Citation
- 18148512
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 18148512.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted the restoration of service connection for left shoulder benign scapulothoracic crepitus and remanded other issues for further consideration.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a disease or injury to these conditions during service. The Board also found insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spondylosis with degenerative joint disease and lower extremity radiculopathy is granted. The TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional information on employment history.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability. The Veteran is also advised to provide any relevant private medical evidence.
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