The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and left ankle disorders due to new evidence received within one year of a previous denial. The VA is instructed to obtain relevant Reserve treatment records, including those related to the Veteran's 1979 motor vehicle accident. A new opinion from an examiner with appropriate expertise is needed to address whether these conditions are related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new evidence received within one year of a previous denial required further examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- low back disorder, left ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19143714
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a low back disorder to obtain additional medical evidence and ensure that the Veteran is afforded every possible consideration.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a low back disorder was dismissed as the RO granted service connection in a November 2023 rating decision.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
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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.