The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting low back disorder was aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's conclusion that the Veteran's preexisting low back disorder was not aggravated during service is unclear, requiring further clarification.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20072945
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine as secondary to service-connected impairment of the left knee with arthritis and impairment of the right knee with arthritis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy impacting both lower extremities on a secondary basis to the back disability, and right knee degenerative arthritis.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased rating greater than 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and scoliosis of the thoracic spine.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a cervical spine disability and lumbar spine disability as further development is needed to obtain an adequate 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.