The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, as the VA medical opinions provided were inadequate due to their reliance on the lack of post-service treatment records.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions did not properly consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his chronic symptoms since service and relied solely on the lack of care after service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic respiratory illness, lumbosacral strain (claimed as low back condition)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 16, 2022
- Citation
- 22028745
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 22028745.
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 claim for an increased rating for her lumbosacral strain (claimed as low back condition) is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board will obtain a supplemental opinion regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on her service-connected condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a mental health disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee tendinitis, but granted service connection for lumbosacral strain.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a left knee condition as secondary to the Veteran's right knee condition, but denied service connection for bilateral muscle spasms, lumbosacral strain (claimed as low back condition), mouth ulcers (also claimed as mouth condition), hypertension, right ear hearing loss, and left shoulder condition, to include a dislocated shoulder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, lumbosacral strain, right hip strain, and right knee strain due to missing military records and insufficient medical evidence.
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