The Veteran's claim for service connection of spondylolysis, numbness/pain in the right leg, numbness/pain in the left leg, and an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding the relationship between these conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a VA examination should be conducted to determine if the Veteran's spondylolysis clearly and unmistakably preexisted service and whether it was aggravated by an in-service injury, including a slip and fall incident. The other issues are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection of spondylolysis.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolysis, numbness/pain in the right leg, numbness/pain in the left leg, an acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20001114
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,948 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
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 20001114.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a failure to obtain relevant private medical records.
- Granted
The Veteran's spondylolysis was granted a 40 percent rating from November 25, 2013 to October 26, 2023. The condition resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine being limited to 20 degrees during use over time.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified issues for remand related to service connection claims and effective date determinations. The appellant's appeal includes multiple conditions, including a headache disability, left ankle and foot disabilities, low back disability, knee degenerative joint disease (DJD), neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Board is directed to address the issues of service connection for these conditions and determine appropriate effective dates.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection and rating for various conditions due to the Veteran's death.
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