The Board has found a need for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of any low back disability, including degenerative disc disease. The Veteran's service record only notes that he complained of pain in service, but there is also evidence suggesting current conditions related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The examiner needs to determine if the Veteran’s current low back condition is at least as likely as not caused by events or conditions during his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19186655
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back pain, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for lower back pain to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding its etiology.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance, as her need for assistance is not solely due to service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD due to personal trauma, denied an increased rating for tinnitus, and denied service connection for bipolar disorder, hemorrhoids, lower back pain, and left knee pain.
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