The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back condition due to new and material evidence. The appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and possibly an updated examination.
The deciding factor: New and material evidence was submitted that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim for service connection of a low back condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20004264
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for back disabilities of residuals of a compression fracture of the L1 vertebra, and DDD and DJD of the lumbar spine, as secondary to the service-connected right knee instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's lower back disability, specifically during flare-ups and after repeated use.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for sarcoidosis as new and relevant evidence has been received since the previous denial.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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