The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical opinions and a need for additional clarification regarding the Veteran's back disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current back disabilities, which include Lumbago and other unspecified back conditions.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran’s current back disabilities are related to his in-service injury while loading luggage onto airplanes.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbago, other back disabilities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19178215
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19178215.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbago and remanded issues related to separate ratings for lower extremity neurologic disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, and special monthly compensation.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for PTSD, headaches secondary to major depressive disorder, and increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities have been granted. The case is REMANDED for additional development including examinations and readjudication.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back disability, finding that his current degenerative joint disease is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.
- Denied
The Veteran's request for clothing allowances based on the use of knee braces is denied because the braces are not used to treat a service-connected disability.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.