The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his back sprain due to insufficient evidence regarding flare-ups and functional impairment during those periods.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was unable to provide an estimate of range of motion during flare-ups without speculation, which is necessary to determine the full extent of the disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Back Sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2022
- Citation
- 22015684
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 22015684.
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 claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU were denied, but he was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD and back sprain, as well as his TDIU claim are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and updated VA treatment records.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective March 7, 2011. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's low back disability has been rated at 20 percent since November 25, 2002. The Board finds that the current evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.
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