The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a low back disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including an examination to determine the nature of the Veteran's current low back condition and its relationship to service. Service connection for psychiatric disabilities (to include PTSD) is also remanded.
The deciding factor: New evidence has been submitted that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for a low back disability, but further development is needed due to conflicting opinions on the etiology of the condition and lack of an examination. Service connection for psychiatric disabilities (to include PTSD) is also remanded as there are no VA examinations addressing this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back disability, Psychiatric disability (to include PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2021
- Citation
- 21025653
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 21025653.
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 service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address the severity of his low back disability, including whether he has experienced incapacitating episodes of IVDS.
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