The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and lack of compliance with prior remand directives. The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine is being returned for further development.
The deciding factor: There was not substantial compliance with the Board's prior remand directives, specifically regarding the adequacy of the VA examinations and the need to address the Veteran's lay testimony and private treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2021
- Citation
- 21064658
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 21064658.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy on the basis of CUE in the February 1996 rating decision have been denied. The May 2022 rating decision is also dismissed as it failed to grant service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis and continuous low back symptomology since separation from service are sufficient to meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including degenerative diseases of the cervical and lumbar spine, radiculopathies affecting various extremities, OSA, hepatic steatosis, and supraventricular arrhythmia.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial evaluation higher than 10 percent for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine and left leg pain associated with the lumbar spine, as well as a TDIU rating. The VA will obtain retrospective opinions to assess the Veteran's conditions from October 2009 to May 2018, and may refer the claim for an extraschedular TDIU if not granted based on schedular criteria.
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