The Board has granted the petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for low back pain/strain. The claims for service connection for neuropathy/radiculopathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities are remanded due to new evidence received after an unappealed rating decision.
The deciding factor: New relevant evidence was submitted that relates to the issue of whether a current diagnosis of lumbar osteoporosis and radiculopathy is related to service, including an in-service back injury.
- Claimed conditions
- low back pain/strain, osteoporosis with vertebral compression fractures, lumbar radiculopathy without myopathy from congenital abnormality of spine, chronic extensive degenerative disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 9, 2020
- Citation
- A20018228
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,990 · Granted: 35% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A20018228.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as her service-connected disabilities did not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture prior to July 1, 2011, and they do not markedly interfere with employment after that date.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his physical and mental incapacity, which requires care and assistance on a regular basis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge sitting at the Montgomery RO regarding all six issues on appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development of the Veteran's treatment records.
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