The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in November 2014 was inadequate for addressing whether the Veteran's chronic low back disability is secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The case is being remanded to obtain a new opinion from an appropriate examiner.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examination did not address whether the Veteran’s current low back disability was aggravated by his service-connected cervical spine disability, which is required for secondary service connection claims.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back disability
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19107437
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 found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a chronic low back disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic low back disability, as there was no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic low back, right knee, bilateral ankle, and bilateral hip disabilities as they were not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a neck injury, chronic low back disability, and heart disorder. The veteran's claims were also not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.
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