The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding the issue of an increased rating for paraspinal lumbar spasms. The examiner was not able to distinguish all symptomatology due to the Veteran's service-connected paraspinal lumbar spasms from that due to other nonservice-connected low back disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding the issue of an increased rating for paraspinal lumbar spasms, necessitating another examination to determine the nature and extent of the Veteran's service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- paraspinal lumbar spasms
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19120031
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 19120031.
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: Denied
The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for increased rating, temporary total rating, and TDIU due to incomplete compliance with previous remand instructions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's paraspinal lumbar spasms are currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating for convalescence due to low back disability was denied as the need for convalescence was unrelated to his service-connected paraspinal lumbar spasms. The Veteran's current symptoms are related to nonservice-connected degenerative disc disease.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.