The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and left leg disabilities due to insufficient nexus opinions provided by VA examiners.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions were based solely on the absence of documentation in the Veteran's service treatment records, which is inadequate. The examiner must clarify current diagnoses and provide a new opinion regarding the etiology of the disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, left leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19105039
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 was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed due to untimely filing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain additional evidence regarding the Veteran's employment and the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for left hip due to a need for a new medical nexus opinion.
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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.