The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's back condition, including whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left and right knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The previous examination report did not adequately address the medical question of whether the Veteran’s back condition was related to his service-connected knee conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis, Intervertebral disc syndrome
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19132016
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a neck injury, including degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, and history of spinal fusion, based on the evidence showing chronicity since service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 25, 2025 for the award of service connection for degenerative disc disease thoracolumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, and levoscoliosis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a back condition to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining an appropriate medical examination and associated opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of the claim for service connection for a back disability based on new and relevant evidence, but remanded the issue for further development.
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