The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for a low back disability was denied. The case is now REMANDED to the RO for further development.,A staged disability rating of 10 percent for a residual scar of the right cheek, as due to pain, from December 3, 2013, under Diagnostic Code 7804 has been granted. However, the initial claim remains denied.
The deciding factor: VA has not acquired all service treatment records (STRs) pertaining to the Veteran's low back disability and thus failed to reasonably assist in obtaining these records.
- Claimed conditions
- Residual Scar of Right Cheek
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20079119
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 20079119.
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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