The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and the claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the spine is now pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not adequately account for the Veteran's lay statements regarding chronicity of care in his conclusions, nor explain the treating physician’s notation that the condition was 'early degenerative disc.'
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 13, 2019
- Citation
- A19000894
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 A19000894.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, as there was no evidence showing he needed regular assistance from another person.
- Granted
The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, including degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease, was granted based on new and material evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the spine, knees, and feet in January 2003 due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnosis of degenerative joint disease is not related to his military service and thus denied his claim for service connection.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.