The Board has determined that there are pertinent, outstanding records that have not been obtained and reviewed. These include Social Security Administration (SSA) records; and treatment records from 'Mena Hospital.' The Veteran alleges a current lumbar spine disability caused by an injury sustained during service in approximately February 1989. The August 2018 VA back examiner confirmed a diagnosis of intervertebral disc syndrome, micro-discectomy for displaced disc. However, the examiner's conclusions were factually inaccurate and the Veteran's first complaint of a lumbar spine disability after service occurred in 2017.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA back examiner's conclusions were factually inaccurate and needed to be corrected by scheduling the Veteran for a VA back conditions examination.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine (back) disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22052499
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 22052499.
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.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, right wrist, headaches, and sleep disturbances as there is no persuasive evidence of current disabilities during the appeal period.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for headaches, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The Board dismissed these issues as a result.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims for various conditions and a rating for hearing loss. The Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder, sinusitis, acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee scar, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss are all being reviewed.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine following a L4-L5 laminectomy. The decision is based on evidence that connects the current back condition to active military service.
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