The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain Social Security Administration records related to the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20% evaluation for degenerative disc disease L5-S1 with lumbosacral strain and thoracic spine scoliosis.
The deciding factor: Additional development, specifically obtaining SSA disability benefits records, is required as indicated in the case remand directive.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease L5-S1 with lumbosacral strain, thoracic spine scoliosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 30, 2022
- Citation
- 22049270
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 22049270.
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 increased ratings for his service-connected spinal stenosis, degenerative arthritis, and related conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress as due to the Veteran's service-connected left hip labral tear with strain and trochanteric pain syndrome, but denied service connection for thoracic spine scoliosis, bilateral hallux valgus, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), left knee strain with patellar tendinitis, and left shoulder strain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for the Veteran's back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient information regarding the baseline severity of his conditions when discounting the beneficial effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran's back disability, including thoracic spine scoliosis and thoracolumbar spine arthritis, is granted as service connected. The conditions are considered to be directly related to his military service.
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