The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence is needed from private providers and VA treatment records have not been fully associated with the case file.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease with disc bulge, osteoarthritis, central stenosis, neurogenic claudication, status post spinal fusion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103676
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 service connection for multiple conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, right hip degenerative joint disease and rheumatoid arthritis with acetabular cyst status post right total hip replacement, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, fever sores, and a compromised immune system, as the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar and cervical spine spondylolisthesis as moot because they had already been adjudicated.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for special monthly pension (SMP) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is remanded to ensure that the appellant receives every possible consideration, including a new VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability, low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.
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