The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions provided in the October 2021 addendum, and further review is needed.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale for their opinions regarding whether the Veteran's L4 compression fracture was clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service or if his current L5-S1 condition is related to service or a natural progression of his pre-existing condition.
- Claimed conditions
- L4 compression fracture, L5-S1 condition
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2022
- Citation
- 22006660
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 22006660.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records, requiring further development including a new VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case, including additional evidence collection. The appeal is currently pending and will be remanded for further action.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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