The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar strain and sprain, as well as her claim for COPD. The VA must obtain retrospective medical opinions regarding the severity of the lumbar condition prior to March 27, 2019, and an addendum opinion addressing whether COPD was caused or aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous decisions were based on inadequate examinations and insufficient consideration of the Veteran's service treatment records regarding her respiratory conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain and sprain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 9, 2022
- Citation
- 22027338
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 22027338.
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 Veteran's claims for higher ratings for tinnitus, liver disorder (MASLD), and COPD are remanded due to incomplete or inadequate evidence. The claim for service connection is also remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for asthma, eczematoid dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to incomplete examination reports and the need for new VA examinations.
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The Board has granted service connection for metastatic lung cancer and pleural effusion as secondary to service-connected metastatic lung cancer. Service connection is being remanded for COPD, chronic sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis due to the need for additional development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and a need for further development. The issues include aortic aneurysm, cerebrovascular small vessel disease, COPD, and emphysema.
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