The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for further medical development. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further proceedings.
The deciding factor: The examination reports provided by the VA did not comply with requirements as enunciated in Mitchell v. Shinseki, 25 Vet. App. 32 (2011), and Sharp v. Shulkin, 29 Vet. App. 26 (2017).
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain (lumbar spine disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19173478
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19173478.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The appellant is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, effective September 1, 2020.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted service connection with a 20% disability rating. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability were denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's increased rating claims for various joint and headache disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports that did not consider all of the Veteran's symptomology.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is found to be directly related to his active-duty service. His left lower extremity radiculopathies are also found to be due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
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