The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate September 2014 VA examination, which did not adequately consider flare-ups of disability associated with the service-connected back disorder. The Veteran is required to provide updated treatment records and undergo a VA medical examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected degenerative disc disease (DDD) with herniated disc L5-S1.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the September 2014 VA examination was inadequate as it did not adequately consider flare-ups of disability associated with the service-connected back disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD) with herniated disc L5-S1, previously limitation of motion of lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20020039
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 20020039.
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
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