The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back and neck disabilities due to new evidence suggesting a worsening of his conditions since the last VA examinations in August 2016. The Veteran will need to provide authorization for any outstanding treatment records, which will then be added to the claims file.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was sufficient new evidence indicating an increase in the severity of the Veteran's low back and neck disabilities since his last VA examinations, necessitating further evaluation and potential rating adjustments.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease L5-S1, Bilateral foraminal stenosis (low back disability), Multilevel degenerative disc disease, cervical spine with intermittent left radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19127979
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multilevel degenerative disc disease and bilateral hearing loss, while remanding the claims for Alzheimer's disease, a mental health disability, disabilities manifested by generalized weakness of the lower extremities, and a heart disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to deficiencies in the VA examinations and missing records.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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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.