The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for DDD of the spine due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back disability is related to his active service, including an in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The claim was previously denied because there was no evidence of a current low back disability at the time of the denial. New evidence has been submitted that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the spine, Bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190667
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 19190667.
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 residuals of a traumatic brain injury and special monthly compensation based on the need of regular aid and attendance, while remanding the issue of service connection for a seizures disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were caused by his in-service injuries.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, headaches, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. It also dismissed the claims for higher ratings of reactive airway disease, allergic rhinitis, and PTSD, denied service connection for CFS and TBI, and granted a 30% rating for IBS.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the spine, and osteoarthritis of the right shoulder and left shoulder based on evidence showing that these conditions had onset during active military service.
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