The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, which relates to an unestablished fact necessary for service connection of a low back condition. The claim is now reopened and will be further evaluated on remand.
The deciding factor: New evidence was received that relates to an unestablished fact (a diagnosable condition of the back) necessary to substantiate the claim for service connection for 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
Veterans Law Judge
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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, specifically his service-connected degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease. The Veteran needs a VA examination to assess the extent of his functional impairment during flare-ups.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and information.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant (through his representative) withdrew the appeal prior to a decision being made.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The TDIU claim will also be remanded.
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