The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disorder and gastrointestinal disorder due to potential errors in the prior examination opinions.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU is also pending, as it is intertwined with the other claims.
The deciding factor: The previous VA examinations did not adequately address the etiology of the lumbar spine and gastrointestinal disorders, and further clarification is needed to determine if service connection can be established.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar Spine Disorder, Gastrointestinal Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21026820
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 21026820.
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.
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The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI residuals and a gastrointestinal disorder were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or causal relationships to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for service-connected IBS, service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, and service connection for a right foot disorder require further examination and consideration due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of evidence regarding the onset and continuity of symptoms.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted the Veteran's appeal for readjudicating his claim of service connection for hypertension. The claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, to include gastritis and peptic ulcer are remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions provided in his VA examinations. The claims include tension headaches, a psychiatric disability (diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder), a cervical spine disorder, hand tremors, a lumbosacral spine disorder, a gastrointestinal disorder, and residuals of a hydrocele.
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