The Veteran's claim for service connection for back condition was remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination. The effective date of service connection remains March 31, 2015.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for updated treatment records and a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's back condition.
- Claimed conditions
- facet arthropathy with degenerative arthritis/disc disease, spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19144714
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 a 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability since September 26, 2024.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability to obtain additional medical evidence regarding the severity of his condition without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from March 1, 2021, and an effective date of March 1, 2021, for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the November 2024 non-final rating decision, deferring the adjudication of the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis, was dismissed.
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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.