The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back injury and neurobehavioral effects, finding insufficient evidence to support these claims. The case is remanded for further development including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of the claimed conditions.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, necessitating additional examination and opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- back injury, degenerative arthritis of the spine, lumbar strain, low back pain, spinal stenosis of the cervical region, degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19168918
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 19168918.
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 claim for service connection of a low back disability was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim is denied as there is no evidence that the current condition is related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, including degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, due to lack of current disability evidence.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA examinations related to the Veteran's lower back condition and surgical scars are inadequate, necessitating a remand for further evaluation.
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