The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence to decide the claim of service connection for a back condition. The Veteran served in active duty from April 1983 to April 1987 and worked as an aircraft maintenance mechanic, which involved lifting heavy equipment. His private treatment records suggest that his Reserve service could have aggravated his back condition. There is also evidence indicating he had a pre-existing back condition that may have been aggravated by his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not clearly indicate whether the Veteran's back condition existed prior to service, and there are conflicting opinions regarding its onset during or after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Back condition
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190284
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 19190284.
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 granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition and a TBI, but denied the claim for PTSD as moot. The claims for service connection for a neck condition and back condition were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss but denied service connection for a back condition, left foot disability, right foot disability, and right shoulder condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal for further evidentiary development and to schedule VA examinations.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and right hip condition, as there was no evidence of a causal relationship between his in-service injuries and current disabilities.
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