The Board has ordered a new medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's back disorder and neurological symptoms are related to service, including exposure during the Gulf War. The claim is being remanded for this purpose.
The deciding factor: The previous medical opinions were inadequate and did not address whether the Veteran's conditions are due to pre-existing or service-related causes.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, sensory neuropathy, radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 29, 2022
- Citation
- 22037462
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 22037462.
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 appeal for a compensable disability rating for service-connected migraine headaches is remanded due to the need for further evaluation and consideration.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of both lower extremities is being remanded due to a failure to obtain relevant private medical records. The AOJ will consider these records when readjudicating the claim.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for various rating and service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for neurological impairment of the right and left lower extremities, variously diagnosed as neuropathy and radiculopathy, which is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back disability.
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