The Veteran's claim for service connection is reopened, and the appeal is granted to this extent. The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claims of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depressive disorder). However, further development is needed as the Board finds that remand is necessary in order to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorders.
The deciding factor: The Board found new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection. Further development is required due to conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorders, including whether they are related to his military service or pre-existed service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disorder, scoliosis of the lumbar spine, transitional fifth lumbar vertebra
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19157099
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19157099.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip and lower extremity disorders, including as secondary to a lumbar spine disorder. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, but denied his claim for right knee disorder. The Board also remanded the cases of left leg disorder and lumbar spine disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
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