The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and his service. The claim will be returned for further development.
The deciding factor: The VA addendum medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran’s current lumbar spine disorder had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service, considering all relevant evidence including lay statements of continuity of symptoms from service to present.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbosacral spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20065617
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 Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations or additional service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.