The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.
The deciding factor: The current evidence is insufficient to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s conditions, necessitating further examination and review of his medical history.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine, Heart disability, to include an enlarged heart and CAD, High blood pressure (hypertension)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21008315
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 21008315.
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 Veteran's degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has granted a higher rating to 40 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine disability to schedule a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and, if so, whether he has required bed rest prescribed by a physician during any 12-month period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, left and right lower extremities, erectile dysfunction, a rating in excess of 70 percent for depressive disorder, and secondary conditions as the evidence did not support a diagnosis or nexus to service or service-connected disability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right and left hand/finger disabilities, high blood pressure, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities as there was no evidence of a current disability or nexus to service.
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