The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding SSA records that may be relevant to the Veteran's claim for service connection for his back condition.
The deciding factor: There are outstanding SSA records that have not been obtained and reviewed, which could potentially impact the decision on the Veteran's service connection claim.
- Claimed conditions
- thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint and disc disease, any back condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 29, 2020
- Citation
- A20019316
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 A20019316.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability was granted a 40 percent rating, and TDIU based on the low back disability process alone was also granted from September 19, 2008.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period from December 28, 2009 to September 30, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination and an addendum opinion addressing the impact of his service-connected disabilities on employment.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.