The Veteran's spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional private treatment records and schedule a VA examination due to concerns about his ankylosing spondylitis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported worsening symptoms that may indicate a change in his condition, necessitating further evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease, thoracic and lumbar spine with IVDS, Ankylosing spondylitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20034600
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 20034600.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings for PTSD, TDIU and DEA benefits was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent for PTSD with TBI.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial disability rating for his service-connected back disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and addendum medical opinion addressing the severity of his condition throughout the appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for ankylosing spondylitis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and right elbow chronic bursitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's low back disability, including SI joint dysfunction and mild arthritic changes in the thoracic spine, ankylosing spondylitis, and degenerative arthritis of the spine, is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its onset during service.
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