The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his L5 osteophyte formation and degenerative disk disease due to inconsistencies in the February 2017 VA examination report, which did not provide sufficient findings to decide the case. The Veteran needs additional treatment records from Texas Orthopedics and an updated examination.
The deciding factor: The February 2017 VA examiner's findings were internally inconsistent and insufficient to decide the claim for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- L5 osteophyte formation, degenerative disk disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19107609
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19107609.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar strain to include thoracolumbar and lumbosacral strain, cervical spine condition, spondylosis, degenerative disk disease, and radiculopathy (spine disabilities). The Board found that these conditions are related to the Veteran's injury during his active duty.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claim for mid-lower back pain and degenerative disk disease due to a need for an examination to determine the etiology of the disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for low back disability and left lower extremity sciatica were denied. The case was remanded for further review.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's back disability. A VA examination is needed to determine if his current back disabilities are caused by an injury during inactive duty for training in September 1978, and whether they are aggravated by his service-connected amputation of the right leg.
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