The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral back strain and degenerative disc disease, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from April 2019. The remand is due to inadequate examination findings in the previous VA examination.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examination was found to be inadequate due to lack of explanation and reasoning regarding range of motion testing, which conflicts with other medical evidence of record.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral back strain, degenerative disc disease (Back DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20077189
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20077189.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for chronic headaches and granted effective dates of June 13, 2020 for service connection for tinnitus and lumbosacral back strain. The claims for service connection for a dental disorder and increased rating for lumbosacral strain were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected disabilities alone did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the Regional Office not having issued a Statement of the Case for all issues on appeal. The Board is unable to proceed without this information.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evidence.
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