The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lower back condition is related to his service or caused by his right knee disability, and if so, whether it was aggravated by his right knee.
The deciding factor: The examination did not address whether the Veteran's right knee aggravated his lower back condition, which is required for a secondary service connection claim.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125658
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 an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent from May 11, 2017 prior to February 29, 2024, and in excess of 40 percent from February 29, 2024 for a service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Board grants service connection for lower back degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's low back condition began during his active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claims for acne and acne scarring, lower back degenerative arthritis, temporomandibular disorder, feet conditions including plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma, and left side sciatica due to missing active-duty service treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various degenerative arthritic conditions of multiple joints and the lower back, as additional evidence is needed.
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